UNITED NATIONS GIRLS EDUCATION INITIATIVE

The World Bank is a vital source of financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the world. We are not a bank in the common sense. We are made up of two unique development institutions owned by 184 member countries—the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA). Each institution plays a different but supportive role in our mission of global poverty reduction and the improvement of living standards. The IBRD focuses on middle income and creditworthy poor countries, while IDA focuses on the poorest countries in the world. Together we provide low-interest loans, interest-free credit and grants to developing countries for education, health, infrastructure, communications and many other purposes...>>learn more

Education

Education is central to development and a key to attaining the Millennium Development Goals. It is one of the most powerful instruments for reducing poverty and inequality and lays a foundation for sustained economic growth. The World Bank's strategic thrust is to help countries integrate education into national economic strategies and develop holistic education systems responsive to national socio economic needs. The World Bank is committed to help countries achieve  Education For All (EFA) and, through Education for the Knowledge Economy (EKE), build dynamic knowledge societies...>> learn more

Girls’ Education: A World Bank Priority

The World Bank is committed to fighting poverty and has embraced the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals as a World Bank priority. It has recognized the striking body of empirical evidence that demonstrates strong benefits of girls’ education, which span across a wide range of areas including maternal and child health, social stability, environmental benefits and economic growth. Girls’ education and the promotion of gender equality in education are critical to development, and policies and actions that do not address gender disparities miss critical development opportunities.

The World Bank is a partner and one of many players in the international drive to improve gender equality and empower girls and women. World Bank activities focus on assisting countries’ own efforts to advance gender equality. Through its lending and non-lending activities, the Bank has helped to improve the lives of girls in client countries. Since the World Conference of Education in Jomtien in 1990, the Bank’s emphasis in the area of girls’ education has increased and gender equality has been integrated as an important component of the Bank’s poverty reduction mission...>>learn more