Girl's schooling in war-torn Somalia

A civil war has raged in Somalia since 1991. The civil war was the final blow to an already collapsed education system. Somalia has received little research and policy attention yet children, especially girls, are very vulnerable during times of conflict. The different gender roles, activities, and status in society create gender differentiated risk and vulnerability during conflict; therefore, girls experience conflict differently from boys. This paper has two aims to (1) push Somalia back into the international development agenda and (2) highlight the state of girl's education in Somalia. The study examines 5969 households and presents the patterns of educational enrollment and attendance of girls in Somalia, and identifies the major challenges of expanding education access in Somalia.

► About 48% of girls in Somalia reported they have never been to school. Compared to 32% of boys.
► Despite their questionable quality, Koranic schools account for close to 27% of girls who reported they attended school.
► Girls, especially nomads, in rural areas continue to face significant obstacles to schooling.