Richard,

Yout should take a look at Prof. Jeffery Sachs' recent book "The End of Poverty" and the work of the Earth Institute he heads up at Columbia (http://www.earth.columbia.edu). He specifically talks about the importance of female eduction in the developing world and adds to your list of reasons that educating woman (and more generally helping children survive childhood) leads to lower fertility rates and reduction of population growth from rates that are currently doubling populations in very short periods to more sustainable levels.

He also adds to the importance of School Lunches by way of a story he tells of one school, I think in Kenya, where prior to instituting school lunches they were ranked ~110th out of 200 schools in the region. After just adding school lunches for the 8th grade they raised their school ranking (on the basis of national tests) to 2nd in the region. Prof. Sachs is working with NGO's to extend the school lunch program there to all grades.

Thomas P. M. Barnett in his books and writings also emphasizes the critical importance of woman's education on closing the gap between countries. Countries where girls get an education and woman have rights and opportunities tend to move forward in many other areas (environment, development, stability).

Shannon

Shannon,

I really want our corporate clients opening factories in these developing nations to get involved and to put money into girls education. Seems to create a virtuous circle. Thanks for writing

It's ironic that the focus still remains so largely on issues overseas when it's important to note that women and girls are also lacking opportunities for education right here in North America. While we speak highly of the freedom and opportunity available to us (women) on these 'gold paved' streets we tend to lack focus on the quality of education provided to those girls of lesser means and the opportunities avalailable to those same women to pursue higher education over their brothers, cousins and male peers.

In Rio de Janeiro, where I.m now a Councilwoman for the City, adolescents in favelas have seven children for each two born in formal areas of the city.
This means dropout of schools, having a second and third children following the first, each one from a different father, no job at all nor nursery center. Usually these fathers are dead , in prison, or in drug traffic.
Giving these girls a perspective of future, a different role ,other than being a mother, is the only way to prevent the continuation of this tragedy that means more violence, less education and a lack of public funds to overcome the situation.
If anybody knows of a company that is willing to do something close to what Richard proposed, I will, as a legislative taking care of this issue, be a partner.

andrea vieira

Richard,

Hello,

Regarding No. 4, If we take under consideration the ideal situation where the economic leadership especially in the big corporations, should be involve in the society and lead with the local government, I would suggest that basically we can offer clients a full program who will include: mentoring, private classes, tutoring and more in this area.

Joshua Goldring
GPS

Dear Richard,
Why not connect with UNESCO, The World Bank, Save the Children, and a multitude of other International agencies and encouage public/private partnerships in this effort? The combined efforts and effects of public and private investment are synergystic. Thank you so much for your lofy visions for and commitment to our world.
Kind regards,
Nancy Randall

Nancy,
Good idea on tie ups with other NGOs. In fact this gives corporate sector additional credibility in local markets. As NGOs are in fact the most trusted sector ahead of government business and media

Richard

Cara,

I think you are right to say that we need serious focus on education in N America, especially for younger women. There are interesting efforts to tie private sector into education--as an example, Teach for America, which offers one or two year scholarships for outstanding college graduates who teach in inner city schools. Another is PENCIL, which allows a top executive to be principal for a day in return for continued relationship with a NYC school.

Richard

Andrea,
I think you should come forward with a couple of specific opportunities that can be offered to companies. For instance, is there an NGO in Brazil that offers girls a chance at primary education? How much is minimum scholarship per student or per class?

Richard

Joshua,

We do need serious commitment by private sector to this concept of involvement in society. I have seen a few companies do it well. Example would be HSBC where chairman John Bond has insisted that his people give back--and the company makes it easy to do it. Arranges links to civil society, trips to 3rd world for employees, money for local charities tied to employees'participation levels.

Richard

Richard,
Girls education is very powerful. I work for a small NGO with a small for impoverished girls in Salvador, Brazil. Bahia Street was created by local citizens to break cycles of poverty for impoverished girls and young woman, and 11 years into it, we now have 3 girls in university. Contrary to Jeffrey Sachs' model, we believe in William Easterly's notion that small local organizations are the most nimble and able to respond to local conditions. I invite anyone interested in read my colleague's book about living in Salvador's shantytowns and creating Bahia Street: Dance Lest We All Fall Down by Margaret Willson.