To the editor:

Less than two cents for every international aid dollar spent in the developing world is earmarked for girls. Out of the world’s 130 million out-of-school youths, 70 percent are girls. However, existing research suggests their impact can reach much further than expected.

When a girl in the developing world receives seven or more years of education, she marries four years later and has 2.2 fewer children. There’s a consistent relationship between better infant and child health and higher levels of schooling among mothers.

An extra year of primary school boosts girls’ eventual wages by 10 to 20 percent. An extra year of secondary school: 15 to 25 percent.

When women and girls earn income, they reinvest 90 percent of it into their families.

You can help. Check out girleffect.com.

John Hurd

Clinton