International Day of Education: Oxfam launches 'Alif Say Uraan' campaign for girls' education

The opening ceremony of Oxfam in Pakistan's education campaign "Alif Say Uraan" was held the other day in connection with International Day of Education here on Friday. The campaign aims at establishing the demand for improved enrolment and allocation of resources for the education of girls across Pakistan.

Oxfam in Pakistan's Country Director Mohammed Qazilbash in his keynote address to the event said that Pakistan currently has one of the largest numbers of girls out of school children population in the world with more than 22.8 million out of school children living in the country according to UNICEF Pakistan.

This is especially aggravated for girls as they face considerable barriers to education. Poverty, social norms, insecurity and escalating incidents of armed conflicts and violence has led to a decrease in girls' enrollment and an increase in gender disparity in education.

He said that the amount allocated to the male children's education was more than the amount allocated for female children's education. He said that girls were getting only 9 percent of the education and we need to trace the reasons behind it.

"Today, on International Day of Education, Oxfam in Pakistan launching 'Alif Say Uraan' to bring together all the stakeholders which includes students, teachers, Government representatives and policy providers so that together, we can work towards a future where every student in Pakistan can go to school and carve out a better future for themselves. It's time we work towards a Pakistan where every girl has access to quality education," said Qazilbash.

Idara-e-Taleem-Aagahi (ITA) CEO Beala Raza Jamil while addressing the event said girls education lies at the heart of ITA's efforts for gender equality: the higher their enrollment, the lesser their learning gap with boys. She said we needed campaigns like 'Alif Say Uraan' to highlight ongoing challenges that keep girls from their fundamental entitlements of learning, access to well-equipped schools equitable financing, lack of transportation, security and a severe shortage of schools at middle and secondary levels. "We cannot continue with girls being treated with such discrimination blocking their educational journeys at grade 5," she said.

School Education Special Secretary Faisal Zahoor, Secretary Non Formal Education and Basic Education Sumera Sadaf, Social Welfare Department Director Saad Waheed, Members of Punjab Assembly Ayesha Iqbal, Uzma Kardaar, Sumabiya Tahir Talat Naqvi, Shamsa Ali and Zainab Umair participated in the event.