ABSTRACT
This chapter summarizes late-twentieth-century understandings of why the education of girls and women is considered important and what are seen to be the obstacles to furthering the goal of educating all girls and women. The evidence that people have access to education is that they take part in educational programs. The gross enrollment ratio (GER) is the most widely available international measure of educational participation. Some associations have been established between the income level of countries, measured by gross national product (GNP) per capita, and the amount of participation by girls in formal education. Herz et al report that seven studies covering eight countries all find strong associations between levels of parental education and the educational attainment of children. Studies based on models of household decision-making have been extremely important for formulating policies to overcome immediate constraints to girls' education.
