# data[].attributes.body
10. The expense of education (formal or informal fees)

# data[].attributes.body
9. Hunger and poor nutrition

# data[].attributes.body
8. Distance from home to school

# data[].attributes.headline
7. living in a country of conflict or at risk of conflict.+

# data[].attributes.subject
7. living in a country of conflict or at risk of conflict.+

# data[].attributes.body
6. Being the ‘wrong’ gender

# data[].attributes.body
5. The exclusion of children with disabilities

# data[].attributes.body
A lack of learning materials

# data[].attributes.body
3. No classroom

# data[].attributes.body
2. Having no teacher, or having an untrained teacher

# data[].attributes.body
1. A lack of funding for education

# data[].attributes.body
Today, education remains an inaccessible right for millions of children around the world. More than 72 million children of primary education age are not in school and 759 million adults are illiterate and do not have the awareness necessary to improve both their living conditions and those of their children.

# data[].attributes.body
Today, it is girls who have the least access to education. They make up more than 54% of the non-schooled population in the world.

This problem occurs most frequently in Arab States, in central Asia and in Southern and Western Asia and is principally explained by the cultural and traditional privileged treatment given to males. Girls are destined to work in the family home, whereas boys are entitled to receive an education.

In sub-Saharan Africa, over 12 million girls are at risk of never receiving an education. In Yemen, it is more than 80% of girls who will never have the opportunity to go to school. Even more alarming, certain countries such as Afghanistan or Somalia make no effort to reduce the gap between girls and boys with regard to education.

Although many developing countries may congratulate themselves on dramatically reducing inequality between girls and boys in education, a lot of effort is still needed in order to achieve universal primary education.

# data[].attributes.body
As a result of poverty and marginalization, more than 72 million children around the world remain unschooled.

Sub-Saharan Africa is the most affected area with over 32 million children of primary school age remaining uneducated. Central and Eastern Asia, as well as the Pacific, are also severely affected by this problem with more than 27 million uneducated children.

Additionally, these regions must also solve continuing problems of educational poverty (a child in education for less than 4 years) and extreme educational poverty (a child in education for less than 2 years). .

Essentially this concerns Sub-Saharan Africa where more than half of children receive an education for less than 4 years. In certain countries, such as Somalia and Burkina Faso, more than 50% of children receive an education for a period less than 2 years. .

The lack of schooling and poor education have negative effects on the population and country.  The children leave school without having acquired the basics, which greatly impedes the social and economic development of these countries.

# data[].attributes.body
Many emerging countries do not appropriate the financial resources necessary to create schools, provide schooling materials, nor recruit and train teachers. Funds pledged by the international community are generally not sufficient enough to allow countries to establish an education system for all children.

Equally, a lack of financial resources has an effect on the quality of teaching. Teachers do not benefit from basic teacher training and schools, of which there are not enough, have oversized classes.

This overflow leads to classes where many different educational levels are forced together which does not allow each individual child to benefit from an education adapted to their needs and abilities. As a result, the drop-out rate and education failure remains high.

# data[].attributes.body
For many children who still do not have access to education, it is notably because of persisting inequality and marginalization.

In developing and developed countries alike, children do not have access to basic education because of inequalities that originate in sex, health and cultural identity (ethnic origin, language, religion). These children find themselves on the margins of the education system and do not benefit from learning that is vital to their intellectual and social development.

Factors linked to poverty such as unemployment, illness and the illiteracy of parents, multiply the risk of non-schooling and the drop-out rate of a child by 2.

Undeniably, many children from disadvantaged backgrounds are forced to abandon their education due to health problems related to malnutrition or in order to work and provide support for the family.

# data[].attributes.body
The power of education

Imagine not being able to read – you could take the wrong medicine, be sold faulty goods or have your money stolen, and you would have difficulty getting a good job and learning new things. Education or learning, at school or in the community (known as informal education), is one of the most powerful tools for reducing poverty and inequality. Knowledge and skills open up new views about the world and create choices and the confidence to take up opportunities to improve health, nutrition, income, living standards and to participate in decision-making.

The right to at least a primary education is recognised in Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in the second Millennium Development Goal.

State of the world’s education

Around the world 57 million primary school-age children do not go to school. Even those who do attend school may leave before they reach grade five. Poverty, inequality and culture are the main reasons children do not go to school. Parents may be too poor to buy enough food to keep their children healthy, to pay school fees or buy uniforms and books. Education of girls may be considered unnecessary. Children may be sick or needed at home to care for younger siblings or grandparents, or they may need to work to help the family earn an income. Sometimes schools are too far away or crowded. Students may not understand the language or the importance of what is taught. There may not be enough teachers or those who are available might not be well trained or paid. Sometimes teachers themselves may not be at school because they have to earn a living elsewhere.

Quality education

A quality education requires students to be enrolled and attend school, well-trained and supported teachers, adequate facilities and a relevant curriculum based on recognition of local language and culture. Providing a meal at school encourages attendance.

Education for all

Some of the ways education is being improved are:

expanding early childhood care and education

providing free and compulsory education of good quality

promoting the acquisition of life skills by adolescents and youth

increasing adult literacy rates

eliminating gender disparities.