Every week at All Saints Church we put our faith into action. This week we are signing a letter to our members of Congress urging them to support and cosponsor the Keeping Girls In School Act (S.2276 / H.R.4134).

Education is one of the best tools for improving social and economic outcomes for individuals and communities, and equal access to education is critical to the development of nations. The world has worked to increase access to basic education over the past four decades, and we have seen some progress as a result of these efforts. However, education disparities based on gender continue to be one of the most significant challenges in education globally, especially in low-income countries.

To help address these disparities, a bipartisan group of senators and representatives have recently re-introduced the Keeping Girls in School Act (S. 2276/H.R. 4134). This bill seeks to ensure that U.S. foreign assistance programs are designed to address the barriers preventing millions of adolescent girls around the world from attaining education. Please urge your members of Congress to support this bill.

According to a report by the World Bank, less than two-thirds of girls complete primary education in low-income countries, and only one in three completes lower secondary school. The United Nations estimates that 130 million girls ages 6 to 17 were out of school before the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though decades ago the international community recognized that everyone has the right to education, girls in low-income countries continue to face many barriers including poverty, gender-based violence, child marriage, early pregnancy, and conflict. Recent assessments show that 11 million more girls will not return to school due to interruptions to education caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This bipartisan bill calls on our government to continue investments in quality and equitable education while promoting girls’ empowerment and economic security. It does this by leveraging existing funds to support partnerships between federal agencies and external partners and encourages innovative approaches to financing girls’ education, such as using Development Impact Bonds. Furthermore, the Keeping Girls in School Act seeks to complement existing legislation and guidance on education and child marriage as currently implemented in programs and U.S. foreign policy efforts, including as articulated in the U.S. Global Strategy to Empower Adolescent Girls.

The Episcopal Church supports programs that promote education and empower women and girls around the world.  As a Church, we understand that good policies and programs can help reduce many of these barriers. This bill attempts to do just that. Please ask your members of Congress to support this bill.

Options to Sign:

1. Sign a letter at the Action Table Sunday morning.
2. Download a PDF copy of the letter to sign and mail.

Letter used at the Action Table.       Letter used for those outside of California.

3. Click on this link to sign a petition on line.

If you ever need to look up your member of the U.S. House of Representatives or your U.S. Senators check here: www.house.gov and www.senate.gov .