Investing in All the People: Educating Women in Developing Countries. EDI Seminar Paper No. 45

Lawrence H. Summers. Cover Title. This Edi Seminar Paper Was Originally Delivered As A Presentation In A Development Economics Seminar At The 1992 Annual Meeting Of The World Bank. This seminar paper discusses the enormous economic benefits of investing in women's education. Over time increases in girls' education have the potential to transform societies. Four conclusions were reached: (1) the excess female mortality in many developing countries is a horrifying problem that is the most obvious manifestation of a much broader problem of female deprivation; (2) female deprivation results from a vicious cycle where girls are not educated because they are not expected to make an economic contribution to their families, an expectation that represents a self-fulfilling prophecy; (3) increasing educational opportunities for girls offers the best prospect for cutting into this vicious cycle because increasing outlays directed at educating girls would yield enormous economic and social benefits; and (4) the share of the world's girls who go to school can be increased at a relatively modest cost, and over time have the potential to transfer the society. The best way to achieve increased investment in the education of girls is: (1) provide schools for girls; (2) make educating girls more economically attractive by reducing labor market discrimination against women and reducing the costs to parents of sending their daughters to school; and (3) design schools for girls in a way that is consistent with cultural values. Because education is a labor-intensive business, it is relatively inexpensive to provide in low-income countries. Letting girls go to school, learn to read, and experience more of the world beyond their homes makes them better off immediately and enriches their families. (DK) Here are sound reasons why targeting funds to educate girls and women can yield the best investment returns in the developing world and provide enormous economic benefits. The discussion explains how such funding can reduce environmental pollution, fertility rates, and female mortality and help prevent the spread of AIDS. It describes an entrenched cultural tradition that denies girls an education and keeps them from contributing economically to their families and their countries. A low-cost strategy to educate more women and girls worldwide is presented, along with examples of successful education programs in many developing nations.