The Importance of Educating Girls in the Newly Merged Districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Echidna Global Scholars Program, Policy Paper

The Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) in Pakistan, named the Newly Merged Districts (NMDs) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in July 2018, have begun rebuilding after years of Talibanization and military operations. This policy paper focuses on how the government-led education activities can be best aligned to make education possible for the districts' girls, who have long been excluded from education due to conflict and war. Based on stakeholder perceptions, the paper identifies some barriers missed by the FATA's Education Sector Plan (ESP) and points out the opportunities within communities to accelerate the efforts to improve the girls' participation in schools. The results of the study propose to use a gender lens for planning and implementing the activities that can improve access to quality education, to prepare the girls for a better and more productive life.