What is the Cost of School-Related Gender-Based Violence?

In line with the Millennium Development Goals, there has been a focus in the education sector for over a decade on ensuring equitable access to school. Governments across many developing countries showed tremendous resolve and produced impressive results. However, more recently it has become apparent that it is at least equally important to improve the quality of education to ensure students are learning. One important aspect of education quality is the learning environment, which far too often in both developed and developing countries is characterized by widespread school-related gender-based violence.

Research has shown that School-Related Gender-Based Violence (SRGBV) not only affects students’ psychological well-being but is also related to low enrollment and attendance, high dropout rates, and lower achievement , and thus poses not only a human rights but also an important economic problem for education systems. But how much does SRGBV actually cost?