Topic: Access to Education for Girls
Country: Indonesia
Delegate Name: Samantha Heiman
School: Roeper School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Indonesia position papers GLIMUN 2012 committees
The issue of girls in school is a growing concern in the world. The recent shooting of Malala Yousafzai by a Taliban gunman over her petitioning for girls’ education has catapulted the issue further into the forefront of concern. An average of 27.1% of girls worldwide are out of primary school.
The story of Indonesia’s independence has been marked by the involvement of women’s groups. Many of the women in our country have not finished secondary school. There have been recent issues in our quality of women’s education that have caused alarm in the world, such as a beheading and an alleged case of expulsion for a student that had been raped. Religious officials in our nation have proposed more radical ideas on women in school, such as the fact that they must be virgins to attend. Indonesia must improve the quality and safety of our schools.
The nation’s girls must be in school. Education will allow them to live healthier lives and contribute more to the country politically and economically. Government and UN officials should go to all cities and villages, especially those where women are most often taken out of school, and make sure that all girls reported living in the area are regularly attending schools. This topic can also be addressed in educational television and pamphlets. Ensuring that the minimum marriage age for girls is raised to 18 will also cut down the number of girls who leave school to become a bride.
