Status of Girls Education in Muslim Societies: Harsh Realities and Future Prospects

Mon Feb 03 2025
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Key points

  • Millions of girls are out of school because of the complex interplay of socioeconomic, cultural, and political factors in Muslim communities
  • Families often prioritise boys’ education, viewing it as a secure investment for the future:  Pew Research Centre
  • Deeply entrenched cultural beliefs and traditional gender roles tell that women’s primary responsibilities are domestic
  • Engaging local communities, religious leaders, and international organisations is important in creating a conducive environment for girls’ education

ISLAMABAD: Malala Yousafzai’s, a Nobel laureate, recent visit to Pakistan in January 2025 for the international conference on girls’ education has led, once again, to discussions on the barriers preventing girls in Muslim societies from getting a basic education.

Around 43 per cent of girls are out of school in Muslim societies, despite global advancements, due to a complex interplay of socioeconomic, cultural, and political factors in these communities, according to the Pakistan Alliance for Girls Education.

Economic constraints

In many Muslim-majority countries, economic hardship is a major barrier to girls’ education. Faced with financial constraints, families often prioritise boys’ education, viewing it as a more secure investment for the family’s future, reports Pew Research Centre.

The Pew Research Center is a non-partisan American think tank which is based in Washington, DC.  It provides information on social issues, public opinion, and demographic trends shaping the United States and the world.

Status of Girls Education

“In Somalia, people are dying of hunger and malnutrition. Parents know they have to educate their daughters, but they know what to prioritise when it comes to choosing between dying and going to school. Every sensible parent will go for staying alive,” expresses, in an online interview, an Islamabad-based rights activist, Syed Adnan.

Domestic responsibilities

He further added, “Girls, in comparison to boys, are often expected to contribute to household chores or manage domestic responsibilities. These things limit their opportunities for formal education.”

The cost of schooling, including fees, uniforms, and supplies, further exacerbates this issue for low-income families.

“The issue is not that people do not want their daughters to be educated, but they do not have the financial wherewithal to afford their expenses which are too much for a family that hardly earns enough to fill their bellies,” says a primary school teacher and rights activist, Imran Saeed from Kharan.

Cultural Norms

Economic pitfalls are followed by deeply entrenched cultural beliefs as well as traditional gender roles which tell that a woman’s primary responsibilities are domestic. It then leads to the perception that education for girls is unnecessary.

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An Iraqi woman in the southern city of Basra. Iraq has the lowest female literacy in the region. — Photo by AFP

“In some communities, early marriage is prevalent, with girls being married off at a young age, effectively ending their educational pursuits. Families often fear that after ages their daughters will not be able to find a suitable place,” opines Ayesha Khan, based in Lahore, who, herself, is a student and an advocate of girls’ education.

Security Concerns

In regions plagued by conflict or instability, safety concerns significantly hinder girls’ access to education.

“In Sudan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria the threat of violence, harassment, or abduction while traveling to and from school keeps families away from sending their daughters to educational institutions,” Ayesha Khan further added.

According to Amnesty International, in April 2014, 276 schoolgirls, in Nigeria, were abducted from a government secondary school in Chibok, a town in Borno State. Some of the girls escaped captivity on their own, while others were later released following intense campaigning efforts by civil society organizations and negotiations by the government.

These schoolgirls were abducted as part of the anti-education ideology of the extremist group and to forcefully marry them to their fighters.

Of those initially abducted, however, 82 girls remain in captivity, while several children have been abducted in subsequent attacks.

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Mothers and relatives of some of the kidnapped schoolgirls in Nigeria —Photo from Social Media/ X

Amnesty International said, “The Nigerian authorities must ramp up efforts to ensure the safe release and return of the remaining 82 Chibok school girls abducted by Boko Haram fighters in 2014, and ensure schools are protected from child abductions, which have become increasingly frequent in the decade since the notorious raid by the armed group in northern Nigeria.”

Captive girls

“It is shocking that in the 10 years since the Chibok school abduction, the Nigerian authorities have not learned any lessons or taken effective measures to prevent attacks on schools,” said Isa Sanusi, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria.

“The number of abductions that have taken place since 2014, including as recently as last month, and the fact that hundreds of children are still in the custody of gunmen, shows the lack of political will by the authorities to address the problem,” she said.

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Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan has ordered top security chiefs and officials to secure the safe release of schoolgirls on 4 May 2014 —Photo from Social Media/ X

“Afghanistan’s Taliban government has deliberately deprived at least 1.4 million girls of their right to an education during its three years in power,” according to the United Nations.

Unavailability of female teachers

The absence of female educators, particularly in conservative as well as rural societies, poses a barrier to girls’ education. “Many families are reluctant to allow their daughters to be taught by male teachers due to cultural or religious beliefs,” says Ayesha Khan.

Additionally, inadequate school facilities, such as the lack of separate sanitation facilities for girls, contribute to higher dropout rates among female students.

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Female students take exams at Kabul University — Photo by AFP

She further says, “Leave alone schools, most of the girls are not provided adequate sanitation facilities even at home, which also affects their learning as well as cognitive abilities.

“Every step a girl takes to collect water is a step away from learning, play, and safety,” said Cecilia Sharp, UNICEF Director of WASH and CEED.

“Unsafe water, toilets, and handwashing at home robs girls of their potential, compromises their well-being, and perpetuates cycles of poverty.”

Governance issues

In some Muslim-majority countries, insufficient political will and lack of effective policies obstruct progress in girls’ education.

While international declarations emphasise the importance of education for all, implementation at the national and local levels often falls short as a result of bureaucratic inefficiencies, corruption, or competing political priorities.

Moreover, extremist groups have actively opposed girls’ education, as seen in Nigeria with Boko Haram’s attacks on schools, further complicating governmental efforts to provide safe educational environments.

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—Photo from Social Media/ X

“Secondary school is an important time of growth and learning for children. The Taliban’s discriminatory ban is depriving at least 1.4 million girls of their right to education. This has taken a psychological and emotional toll on Afghan girls, extinguishing their hopes,” reports the Human Rights Watch.

Efforts and initiatives

Despite these challenges, efforts are being made to address the barriers to girls’ education in Muslim societies.

Conferences like the one attended by Malala Yousafzai in Islamabad serve as platforms to discuss and strategize solutions.

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Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai speaks during an international summit on ‘Girls’ Education in Muslim Communities,’ in Islamabad, Pakistan, on January 12, 2025. —Photo by AFP

“Now is the time to raise your voice, use your power. You can show true leadership. You can show true Islam,” says 27-year-old Yousafzai during a summit on girls’ education in Muslim communities in Islamabad.

Pakistan, Muslim, Education, Prime Minister, UNESCO, UNICEF, World Bank,
—Photo from Social Media/ X

During the conference, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also emphasised the urgent need for Muslim countries to prioritise girls’ education, highlighting it as one of the most significant challenges of the time.

Sane voices

Additionally, the Taliban’s acting deputy foreign minister, Sher Muhammad Abbas Stanekzai, called on the senior leadership to reopen high schools for Afghan girls, arguing that closing these schools contradicts Islamic Sharia law.

“We request the leaders of the Islamic Emirate to open the doors of education,” Stanekzai said, according to local broadcaster Tolo, referring to the Taliban’s name for its administration.

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—Photo from Social Media/ X

“In the time of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), the doors of knowledge were open to both men and women,” he said.

“Today, out of a population of 40 million, we are committing injustice against twenty million people,” he added, referring to the female population of Afghanistan.

Way forward

“Addressing the multifaceted barriers to girls’ education in Muslim societies requires a holistic approach that includes economic support, cultural sensitisation, policy reforms, and infrastructure development,” says Ayesha Khan.

Malala Yousaf zai
—Photo from Social Media/ X

“Engaging local communities, religious leaders, and international organisations is important in creating an environment where every girl has the opportunity to pursue education and contribute to society,” she further opines.

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—Photo from Social Media/ X

Malala Yousafzai’s advocacy continues to shed light on these issues, reminding the world that the work still needed to achieve education in Pakistan exhibits significant disparities across its provinces, influenced by socio-economic, cultural, and infrastructural factors.

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