Afghanistan/Pakistan 2002
02/27/2002

As a way to encourage parents to send their daughters to school, some NGOs provide incentives to families, such as the edible oil pictured here. The use of incentives has come under criticism—mainly because incentives are only a temporary solution to the problem of low enrollment rates for girls. Incentives do not permanently change attitudes of parents, and when incentives stop, enrollment rates usually decrease. In addition, there is ongoing debate about the disproportionate amount of attention that girls are receiving over boys. Some humanitarian workers argue that focusing on girls undermines the social fabric of Afghan families, and they are calling on a more holistic approach to girls’ education.