Third of girls in Pakistan not attending primary school, and other news (13 Nov 2018)

Every Tuesday we highlight some of the international development stories from across the globe that have caught our attention.

• More than 30% of girls in Pakistan are not attending primary school. School attendance continues to drop in the following years, with only 13% of girls reaching year nine. Human Rights Watch looks at gender disparity in access to education in Pakistan in a new report. Read more in Pakistan Today.

• Rwanda is looking to boost the capacity of local business to tap into regional and international markets. A new initiative, supported by TradeMark East Africa, aims to increase non-traditional exports to new markets by 2023. Read more in Taarifa (Rwanda).

• Many elderly women in Uganda are bearing primary responsibility of raising their grandchildren, often while living below the poverty line. As Uganda continues to roll out its national social protection policy, how can it reach those most in need of help first? Read more in the New Vision (Uganda).

• Abdul Rashid Thomas explores the dangers of foreign aid dependency in Africa and the risks associated with always being on the receiving end. Read more in The Sierra Leone Telegraph.

• Almost 70% of the population in Bangladesh pays no income tax, which has a great impact to the country’s economic growth. Recent event, organised by the Centre for Policy Dialogue, explored how to mobilise development finance for Bangladesh to boost public service delivery. Read more in the Daily Star (Bangladesh).