Girls' education and COVID-19 in Pakistan

The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the already acute girls’ education crisis in Pakistan. Poverty, gender and marginalisation have intersected to accentuate inequalities, making it harder than ever for girls from poorer, rural households to learn. If leaders don’t act now, these girls may never return to school.

In Girls’ education and COVID-19 in Pakistan, Malala Fund and our Education Champions highlight the impact of school closures on students in all four provinces with an emphasis on girls’ experiences. The report details the pandemic’s dire effects on household finances and how this economic crisis has the potential to prevent even more girls from completing their education.

Malala Fund’s Education Champions in Pakistan work across all four provinces to increase girls’ access to education. Since the COVID-19 outbreak, they have been fighting to break down the barriers to distance learning outlined in this report and to protect progress for girls’ education. As schools begin to reopen, Malala Fund and our Education Champions are now focused on ensuring that girls are safely able to return to the classroom.

In this report, Malala Fund and our Education Champions lay out a roadmap for how government officials at all levels can ensure the safe, gender-responsive reopening of schools, alleviate the economic effects of the pandemic to help families prioritise education, protect education gains and build back Pakistan’s education system with gender at the centre to promote inclusive growth and ensure every girl can learn.

Girls are paying the highest price of the pandemic. By taking immediate action and following the recommendations in this report, leaders can mitigate the effects of COVID-19 and ensure that every girl in Pakistan is able to learn during and after this crisis.