The U.S. Embassy in South Sudan has urged the people to embrace the education of girls and called on the Transitional Government of South Sudan to promote strong families and a better future for all by funding girls’ education.

A statement put out by the embassy on Thursday said on 12 May Sunday, Americans will celebrate Mother’s Day to honor the significant influence that mothers have in families and society. 

“Like teachers, mothers are role models for all of us, giving us the critical skills we need to lead healthy, fulfilling, and productive lives. An educated mother is the most important indicator of family health, economic strength, cohesion, and child well-being.” The statement read in part. “Each year of a mother’s education reduces the risk an infant will die by 3.7 percent.  A mother’s education level influences that of her children.  Girls’ full access to education is vitally important to a country’s national economic growth.” 

“Unfortunately, in South Sudan, women and girls are disproportionately affected by the transitional government’s failure to fund basic education for girls,” it added.

According to the U.S. Embassy statement, approximately 84 percent of girls over the age of 15 in South Sudan are illiterate.  Abhorrent practices—including early and forced marriage and gender-based violence—are often ignored by authorities and make an already-elusive dream of education harder to reach 

“We call on South Sudan’s transitional government to do more to end these practices,” the U.S. Embassy counseled. “While we join other donors in supporting the Girls’ Education South Sudan Programme, we also call on the transitional government to promote strong families and a better future for all by funding girls’ education.”