The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) estimates that nearly 72 million children of primary-school age are not in school. Almost half of those children are in sub-Saharan Africa, and more than half of them are girls. The benefits of girl’s education are myriad–increased economic development, safer childbirth, reduced risk of exploitation, lower infection rates of diseases like HIV/AIDS–but the obstacles, equally numerous, include poverty, sexual violence, early marriage, pregnancy, and discrimination. In the last decade, school enrollment of girls, and boys, has increased globally, and the gender gap has closed in many regions, but experts say it’s not enough. UNICEF estimates that if more isn’t done, as many as 56 million children still could be out of school in 2015. Marking its 10-year anniversary this May with a global conference in Senegal, the U.N. Girl’s Education Initiative set its sights on promoting not just enrollment but also gender equality–to see that more girls start and finish school around the world. Source: GlobalPost