E. whereas the maternal mortality rate in Mali, estimated at 1 100 deaths per 100 000 live births, is the highest in the world according to UN data; whereas the UN Human Development Report 2013 singles out Niger and Mali as having particularly high mortality rates among children under the age of five, with the rate rising above 200 deaths per 1 000 live births where mothers are lacking any education; whereas the World Bank estimate of primary school enrolment rates for Niger and Mali are among the worst in the world, standing at 62 % and 63 % respectively; whereas the UN estimates that some 18 million people were affected by the seve ...[+++]re food and nutrition crisis of 2012 in the Sahel and West Africa; whereas the Commission estimates that in 2013, 10.3 million people in the region are still facing food insecurity, of whom 4.2 million are Malians, with 1.4 million children under the age of five at risk of severe acute malnutrition and another 3.1 million at risk of moderate acute malnutrition; whereas the Commission has been instrumental in the establishment of the Global Alliance for Resilience Initiative in the Sahel (AGIR-Sahel) and pledged EUR 517 million in humanitarian and development aid for 2012-2013;

E. whereas the maternal mortality rate in Mali, estimated at 1 100 deaths per 100 000 live births, is the highest in the world according to UN data; whereas the UN Human Development Report 2013 singles out Niger and Mali as having particularly high mortality rates among children under the age of five, with the rate rising above 200 deaths per 1 000 live births where mothers are lacking any education; whereas the World Bank estimate of primary school enrolment rates for Niger and Mali are among the worst in the world, standing at 62 % and 63 % respectively; whereas the UN estimates that some 18 million people were affected by the sever ...[+++]e food and nutrition crisis of 2012 in the Sahel and West Africa; whereas the Commission estimates that in 2013, 10.3 million people in the region are still facing food insecurity, of whom 4.2 million are Malians, with 1.4 million children under the age of five at risk of severe acute malnutrition and another 3.1 million at risk of moderate acute malnutrition; whereas the Commission has been instrumental in the establishment of the Global Alliance for Resilience Initiative in the Sahel (AGIR-Sahel) and pledged EUR 517 million in humanitarian and development aid for 2012-2013;

Globally, 89% of children attend primary school, with girls now almost as likely to be enrolled as boys.

27. Welcomes the fact that the participation of girls in primary education (grades 1-8) has been increasing and that the gender gap in primary education is now virtually closed; considers it regrettable, however, that the gender gap in secondary education has slightly widened, and urges the Turkish government to take all necessary action to diminish this gap and to introduce further measures to ensure that all children attend school;

Specific operations allowed school fees to be eliminated, with a corresponding upsurge in the primary enrolment ratio which rose to 93%.

In Tanzania , the government has now eliminated student fees and enrolment has increased from 68% to 88%; in Mozambique , completion of school to grade five went up from 22% in 1991 to 40% in 2003; also, Kenya , Malawi , Uganda , and Lesotho are now devoting more attention to education and making impressive gains.