Socio-economic determinants of girl's higher education: empirical insights from the high-mountain Nagar District, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan

Girls in the high mountainous regions of Pakistan have a comparative disadvantage in terms of getting higher education. By conducting 255 household surveys and employing a binary logistic regression, this study determined socio-economic factors influencing the likelihood of household heads sending their daughters for higher education. The findings indicate that household size, maternal education, and monthly income significantly influence decisions about girls' higher education. Specifically, daughters of educated mothers are 2.84 times more likely to pursue higher education compared to daughters of illiterate mothers. Additionally, an increase in household monthly income enhances the likelihood of a daughter receiving higher education 14.2 times more than households with stable income. The study recommends raising awareness among mothers about the importance of girls' education to improve their engagement in educational activities. Additionally, it suggests providing targeted financial support to girls from high-mountain regions to facilitate their access to higher education.