Nearly half of the world’s population, which is equal to more than 3 billion people, lives on less than $2.50 a day (Shah). In other words, more than 3 billion people do not obtain adequate food, health care, education, shelter and economic freedoms. One deprivation leads to another and the poverty cycle keeps turning. An essential reason why this cycle is inevitable is that most of the solutions that are found to diminish poverty are not sustainable. In Sub-Saharan Africa, 24 million girls cannot afford to go to school ("What We Do "). In order to wipe out poverty, the people who are from disadvantaged backgrounds should be educated, so that they may contribute to their own countries’ development, and think for themselves. If girls were educated, child marriage and early pregnancy could be prevented, and their countries' financial status could be boosted, which are crucial steps to eradicate poverty.

In the first place, despite the nearly universal condemnation, child marriage flourishes; yet, by educating girls, child marriage can be prevented, and consequently, poverty can be diminished substantially. In the developing world, one in three girls under the age of 18 is married; one in seven under the age of 15 is married, and it is not uncommon for 10 year-olds to marry men who are three times their age (Jeanne). When girls in disadvantaged backgrounds get married, they drop out of school or quit working, and have children at very early ages, which contribute to persistent poverty. However, current studies suggest that higher levels of education, especially attending secondary school, protects girls from early marriage. Although nearly 60 per cent of girls with no education are married by 18 in Mozambique, 10 per cent of girls with secondary schooling and less than 1 per cent with higher education are not married before they are 18 (‘’Child Marriage Facts And Figures’’). In other words, schooling gives girls skills to plan their own lives, decide whom and when they marry, and delays early marriage. Delaying child marriage is substantial because if those one million young girls who are married now were educated instead, Bangladesh could potentially add $69 billion to the national income over these girls' lifetimes (‘’The Simple Case for Investing in Girls’’). With $69 billion of income from educated girls, Bangladesh could build health clinics and community water points, invest in medicine, obtain a high quality education and nutrition to its citizens. To sum up, by educating girls, child marriage can be prevented, and therefore, poverty can be eradicated.

Moreover, because early pregnancy affects countries’ economies adversely, it is an significant obstacle that should be overcome to eradicate poverty by educating girls. To exemplify, 14 million girls aged 15-19 give birth every year at an incredible cost to their own lives as well as to their countries’ economies ("Economically Empowered Girls Can Stop Poverty Before It Starts"). On the other hand, girls who stay in school during adolescence engage in intercourse later, are less likely to be forced or subjected to sex, and if sexually active, are more likely to use contraception than their peers who are out of school ("The Girl Effect Factsheet"). In the countries which experience extreme poverty, most of the time women do not have jobs, stable families, and incomes. When they get pregnant, the babies’ responsibilities burden the government as well as the mothers and eradicating poverty becomes impossible when the population growth is considered. For instance, in India, adolescent pregnancy results in nearly 10 billion dollars in lost potential income because girls are not educated, cannot work and they give birth at very early ages (‘’The Simple Case For Investing In Girls’’). With 10 billion dollars, a country in poverty could obtain sufficient supply of safe water and food, shelter, sanitation and education to its citizens, that are substantial to diminish poverty. To conclude, because education prevents early pregnancy and early pregnancy impairs countries’ financial status, adolescent girls should be educated, so that poverty can be wiped out.


Pursuing this argument further, if adolescent girls were educated, they could have professions, help their countries’ economies develop and hence, poverty could be eradicated. Although women are the substantial majority of society, in 2010, women’s labor force participation rates remain below 30 per cent in Northern Africa and Western Asia ("The World's Women 2010: Trends and Statistics"). On the other hand, closing the joblessness gap between women and their male counterparts would yield an increase in GDP of up to 1.2 per cent in a single year. To exemplify, if young Nigerian women had the same employment rate as young men, the country would add $13.9 billion to GDP annually. With $13.9 billion, the country could provide adequate nutrition, health care and education to the crucial part of the population. In addition, the results confirm that income under female control gives far greater return for human capital than comparable income under male control. To specify, in Burundi with Ishaka Girls Saving Scheme Project, 78% of the girls were able to earn money and it turned out that they used their savings for micro enterprises, family schooling and medical expenses. Similarly, with Value Girls Program, 25% of the girls in Kenya were managed to save for family emergencies and other 25% of the girls were able to pay for their siblings’ education. ("Economically Empowered Girls Can Stop Poverty Before It Starts"). In other words, when girls are educated, able to work and earn money, they invest in their community and they try to wipe out poverty; thus, adolescent girls should be educated.

In final consideration, girls play a crucial role in solving the unrelenting problems which world faces today. The article of UN "Ten Priorities for Poverty Eradication" states as the first priority that "Eradication of poverty cannot be brought about by charity, but needs first and foremost empowering the poor, focusing on women, and tapping their tremendous potential"
(Singh). By educating girls, child marriage and early pregnancy can be prevented and girls may have the opportunity to contribute to their countries` economies, which are substantial keys for eradicating poverty. Therefore, "One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world. Education is the only solution. Education is the first" as Malala Yousafzai says.


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