The New York Times spotlights girls' education

This weekend's New York Times Magazine will be completely devoted to women's issues and rights"with a focus on the developing world. This is something I'm really looking forward to reading. You probably know by now that a big part of UNICEF's work is helping women and girls get an education and supporting programs that foster gender equality. So this is right up our alley.

© UNICEF/NYHQ2009-1271/Marta Ramoneda

Pakistan, 2009: Girls attend a class on the first day of the restart of school at Aman Kot Girls' Primary and Middle School in Swat District in North-West Frontier Province. Over 400 girls' schools were damaged or destroyed during the region's recent fighting.

There are already a number articles from the Magazine available on the NY Times website, as well as some great multimedia additions. An audio slide show titled "A Powerful Truth" contains the subheading, "How educating girls and empowering women can help fight poverty and extremism." Education for girls truly can help lift them out of poverty. It can also"as I've written before"actually make them healthier. And help ensure better health for the children they may have one day.

I encourage you to take time out to read these powerful articles"like this one, which profiles the girls' school in Afghanistan where students were brutally attacked with acid last year. After you've read them, let us know what you think.

This weekend's New York Times Magazine will be completely devoted to women's issues and rights"with a focus on the developing world. This is something I'm really looking forward to reading. You probably know by now that a big part of UNICEF's work is helping women and girls get an education and supporting programs that foster gender equality. So this is right up our alley.

© UNICEF/NYHQ2009-1271/Marta Ramoneda

Pakistan, 2009: Girls attend a class on the first day of the restart of school at Aman Kot Girls' Primary and Middle School in Swat District in North-West Frontier Province. Over 400 girls' schools were damaged or destroyed during the region's recent fighting.

There are already a number articles from the Magazine available on the NY Times website, as well as some great multimedia additions. An audio slide show titled "A Powerful Truth" contains the subheading, "How educating girls and empowering women can help fight poverty and extremism." Education for girls truly can help lift them out of poverty. It can also"as I've written before"actually make them healthier. And help ensure better health for the children they may have one day.

I encourage you to take time out to read these powerful articles"like this one, which profiles the girls' school in Afghanistan where students were brutally attacked with acid last year. After you've read them, let us know what you think.