TIA WEB DESK
Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai has said that the education of refugee children is often ignored and urged world leaders to invest in education for refugee girls.
Malala who is in Japan to attend the World Assembly for Women, in an interview to NHK, said that despite her consistently upbeat attitude, there is a hint of frustration when she talks about the lack of progress on educational issues.
She has been advocating education for children, especially for girls, since winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014.
“I think the refugee children’s education is often ignored because it is considered as a temporary issue. The priority is often shelter, water and food. Countries are lagging behind in their commitment, and that means countries need to increase their spending on education; they need to invest more in girls’ education,” Malala told NHK.
Malala stresses that businesses too should get on board, not just governments.
She added, “When we invest in girls’ education, it boosts economies, adding up to 30 trillion dollars to the global economy. It helps us reduce poverty and tackle climate change. That is reminding these leaders and the business community that if you are thinking about investment, and you want good returns, then you want high returns; invest in girls’ education.”
Japan is hosting the G20 Summit this year. Malala says she hopes girls’ education gets the attention it deserves, and that leaders make it a top priority.
