The unfinished business of girls’ education, thirty years after Beijing

In 1995, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action set out an ambitious vision: full and equal participation of women in all aspects of life, including education.

Thirty years later, much has been achieved but new UNESCO data show how much remains unfinished.

Progress worth noting

Since 1995, the world has moved closer to gender parity in education. Girls now enrol in primary, lower and upper secondary school at rates equal to boys. Globally, 91 million more girls are in primary education than three decades ago, and 136 million more are in secondary. Women’s enrolment in tertiary education has tripled, from 41 million to 139 million.

These numbers matter. They reflect decades of collective effort to dismantle barriers and expand opportunity.

Persistent and uneven gaps

Yet the picture is far from complete. Today, 133 million girls remain out of school. Progress differs sharply by region: Central and Southern Asia has achieved parity in secondary enrolment, while sub-Saharan Africa continues to trail behind. Oceania, once at parity, now sees girls at a disadvantage. In Latin America and the Caribbean, boys are less likely than girls to advance through secondary education. When poverty and location intersect with gender, the disadvantages become even more severe: in Guinea and Mali, practically no poor young women are in school.

Beyond access, transforming systems

The Beijing Declaration called for more than enrolment; it demanded transformation. Yet progress has been patchy. Sexuality education is compulsory in about two-thirds of countries at the primary level and around three-quarters at the secondary level, leaving many young people without vital knowledge and skills. Textbooks in many contexts continue to reinforce stereotypes rather than challenge them. And while women make up the majority of teachers, they remain under-represented in leadership, with just 30% of higher education leaders worldwide being women. These systemic gaps weaken the promise of education as a true force for equality.

Why investment pays off

The case for action is overwhelming. Universal secondary education could virtually end child marriage, cut early childbearing by three-quarters, and reduce under-five mortality by nearly one-third. Women with tertiary education earn nearly five times more than those with none, lifting entire families out of poverty. The benefits cascade across generations and economies, as documented in UNESCO’s 2024 The price of inaction report.

A call to renew commitments

The Beijing Declaration was a milestone, but true progress requires moving beyond milestones toward lasting change. Governments must act to ensure that curricula, teaching and counselling are gender-transformative, and strengthen pathways for women into education leadership. They also need to expand sexuality education, protect learners from school-related violence, and invest in data to drive informed action and accountability.

The unfinished business of girls’ education is not just about rights. It is about futures for women, for their children, and for societies. The promise made in Beijing remains possible, but only if we match evidence with action.