State of Female Education in Global South An Invisible Gap with Palpable Socio-Economic and Public Health Consequences

Abstract

This paper critically reviewed the state of female education (FE) across Global South Nations (GSNs) and its socio-economic and public health consequences. Desk research approach was employed for generation of data for the study. Therefore, this paper built on the findings of previous studies on the subject published in reputable journals and websites. Results show that: in Arab countries, low social value is placed on girls’ education, and majority out of school children are girls; in Latin America and the Caribbean, girls have lower average years of education, limited chances of completing secondary education, fewer opportunities for university education as well as resultant higher illiteracy rates, although contrary reports were found in country like Bahamas; in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, the Soviet regime leveled the gender inequalities in access to education but there remains pockets of gender inequalities regarding enrolment in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematic; in Asia and the Pacific, gender inequality regarding access to quality education has been diminished in Bhutan but not in Antarctica, Bangladesh, Cambodia and Papua New Guinea where hero factor and masculinity impedes FE; and in Africa, girls are at disadvantage especially in Nigeria where majority of out-of-school children are girls. It was concluded that FE is highly undermined in GSNs, and painfully, the females themselves have resigned to fate that women subordination and deprivation in the scheme of things are not only normal but also justifiable. Among other things, the study recommended that the government of the GSNs should place priority in investing in education with more emphasis on girl child.