Girls are disadvantaged in regions with low overall enrolment rates, while in regions with higher rates - such as South America, Central America and Southern Africa - it is the other way round. As girls’ educational expectations rise at a faster pace than boys”, so does their academic performance. Once they have gained access to higher education, women outstrip men in grades, evaluations and degree completions (UNESCO, 2012a). Regions are in descending order of 2010 enrolment ratios.