The world is today celebrating the second International Day of the Girl Child, which is aimed at raising awareness about the rights of girls and the challenges they face.
This year's theme focuses on improving access to education (external website), particularly in developing nations where many girls are unable to attend school because of financial and cultural barriers.
Education is a key element of the Australian aid program–it empowers women to advocate for themselves and make better decisions about their lives, leading to new and better jobs.
During an address in New York to the United Nations General Assembly last month, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said gender equality must be achieved to ensure that girls are able to participate in their communities.
'These freedoms must extend to all women and girls including through equal access to employment, resources, education and health services,' she said.
Education can make a profound impact on a girl's life, with just one extra year of schooling boosting the average wage of a woman by up to 25 per cent.
UNESCO says of the 57 million children not in school, 31 million are girls (external website).
Australia recognises that there is a particularly strong case for investing in girls' education, and the national aid program is improving school access in a range of developing nations including Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and Afghanistan.
Australian aid is funding a major education and health program known as Children of Uruzgan, which is supporting more than 3,500 children in Afghanistan through early childhood development and community-based education classes. More than 1,000 girls are already benefiting from participation in these classes. The program is also constructing 10 new schools and refurbishing a further 50 existing school buildings and facilities.
The Children of Uruzgan program has a strong focus on women and girls living in remote communities in Uruzgan province, and works closely with local people and local organisations to deliver services. The program is increasing the number of female teachers and establishing literacy groups for up to 2,500 parents. It has established a midwifery and nursing school to support up to 50 women from Uruzgan to help improve the health of mothers, children and families in their communities.