UNICEF representative in Angola defends investment in girls

Source: Xinhua| 2019-10-11 17:45:21|Editor: Li Xia
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LUANDA, Oct. 11 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) representative in Angola, Abubacar Sultam, has stressed the need to invest in girls as a way to respect their right to choose the future and for greater prosperity of nations.

Abubacar Sultam who was speaking on the occasion of the International Day of the Girl Child in Luanda, marked on Oct. 11, said "ensuring the right to quality education for all girls must be a priority for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)."

In Angola, according to the official, girls' education deserves special attention since the 2015/2016 Multiple Indicators and Health Survey showed that 42.6 percent of boys, aged 12 to 18, attend secondary school, against 37 percent of girls.

The 2014 national census, indicated that there were about 2.8 million girls aged 10 to 19 in Angola, representing almost 11 percent of the total population.

The UNICEF representative also stressed that the integration of girls into the workplace should be a concern, as well as ensuring greater and better access to scientific and technological careers.

He stressed that it is necessary to support adolescents in particular those who are pregnant, young mothers and girls living in rural areas who have dropped out of school.

The celebration of the International Day of the Girl Child in Angola was supported by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the African Youth Network.

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