Girls Child

On a daily basis in schools across the nation, South African girls of every race and economic class encounter sexual violence and harassment at school that impedes their realization of the right to education. This report examines the barrier to equal educational opportunity posed by the South African government's failure to adequately address the gender violence prevalent in the South African school system. South Africa was selected for this study not only because of the scope of the problem but also because of the opportunities for change there, where educators both in and outside of government have shown increasing interest in finding solutions.

Youth panelists shared and highlighted the experiences and challenges of girls growing up in their four different countries, namely, Kenya, South Africa, Zambia and the Philippines. The girls were sharing at a discussion hosted by the United Nations Girls' Education Initiative (UNGEI) in New York. Some of the challenges highlighted include female genital mutilation, poverty, domestic violence, sexual violence and cultural and traditional practices that hamper girls' education.