Education

Imagine you can't read, write, or count. Would it hold you back?

You wouldn’t be able send text messages, surf the internet, read instructions on medication bottles or catch a bus.

UNICEF has calculated that child poverty has increased in more than half of the developed world since the financial crisis. 61 million children under the age of 11 in the developing world are not in school. These children should be the next generation’s doctors, teachers and nurses.

There are many reasons why children miss school. It could be the expense of uniforms, books or school fees; or simply that there is not a school close by.

And it’s girls that are missing out the most. Cultural values can mean that boys may get priority when it comes to education. Girls may also be kept at home to help with childcare or housework. But it’s clear that poverty only worsens when girls are kept out of school.

758 million of the world’s adult population is illiterate – reversing this would have a positive knock-on effect on the economy and health.

Education beats poverty and gives people a voice. It allows them to speak out and be heard, it allows them to make positive changes in their own lives and break the poverty cycle for good.

The Robin Hood Tax could raise billions every year to make sure all children and adults receive the education they deserve.