23.5 million The number of out-of-school girls in South Asia compared to 18.7 million boys
Millennium Development Goal 2 : Achieve universal primary education
Target : Ensure that all boys and girls complete a full course of primary education
The share of girls among out-of-school children is highest in the Middle East and North Africa at 58%. In this region, 22% of eligible girls are not in school, compared to 15% of eligible boys.
The second-highest share of out-of-school girls is found in South Asia, the region with the most out-of-school children in absolute terms. In the region, 56% of out-of-school children are female, or 23.5 million girls compared to 18.7 million boys; 30% of girls are not in school compared to 22% of boys.
Source: UNICEF & UNESCO, Children Out Of School: Measuring Exclusion From Primary Education, Montreal, Quebec, 2005.
