Help urged to educate girls in Africa

IRISH women are being urged to play a leading role in lifting African girls out of poverty and into education.

The campaign, Because I am a Girl, is being driven by Plan Ireland, who fear more young girls will die in developing countries because of the global recession.

“The global economic downturn means girls in the developing world are the first to lose their jobs, may end up in the sex trade and are more likely to die young,” said its chief executive, David Dalton. “The recession has cost many Irish people their jobs and many more of us have experienced a drop in living standards, but in some countries it is costing people, especially girls, their lives.”