Furthermore, many of Ethiopia’s schools lack basic facilities, well trained teachers and educational learning materials.
Gender inequality and gender disparities affect school attendance and drop-outs of girls. These include the fact that 40% of girls are married before the age of 18 (and 6 million married before the age of 15). In certain areas like the Amhara region, the child marriage rates are among the highest in the world with around 56% of girls married before 18 years and one in four having given birth before the age of 18. Girls are also particularly vulnerable to gender-based violence and female genital mutilation.
The school which AYDA would be liaising with is in Amhara and Tigray regions of Ethiopia, which have a severe lack of writing materials (pens, pencils, ink) for all students, among other challenges which it faces.