Based on current practice, six general themes emerge as critical environmental factors for facilitating successful implementation of good technical approaches in support of girls' education - to getting a "jump start" in support of education for all girls.

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• Political will. Recognizing the value of political will is not new, but there is a better understanding of what this involves. Political will cannot be a one-time thing; it has to be reflected in coherent policies that are implemented to support their education. It requires tenacity at the highest levels. There is another aspect of political will that is critical and that is the building of a national consensus for girls' education. Consensus must be more than verbal agreement, however; it includes social mobilization and involvement of all aspects of society, including but not limited to parents and communities.
  
  
• Leadership. There are several aspects of leadership that have proved to be especially important in assuring education for all girls. Moving the education agenda forward requires more than politicians with the political will. They also have to be extremely pragmatic, knowing when to compromise and negotiate in order to build alliances on a common agenda. This requires flexibility that is combined with good judgement in terms of understanding what compromises are the least likely to have negative outcomes for girls, paying special attention to unintended consequences. Strong female leaders have had a particularly large impact on building and maintaining political will in support of girls' education.
  
  
• Supportive fora. Advocacy is essential to sharing key information, building partnerships and maintaining political will. A key element in building advocacy has been the full range of fora that have kept attention on the need for affirmative action in support of girls' education. This includes international conferences, working groups, informal networks, newsletters and organizations that are specifically dedicated to girls' education, such as the Forum of African Women Educationalists. These serve as a very visible "conscience" to those who are not continuously working in support of every girl's right to an education.
  
  
• New partnerships. One area where girls' education has made important and new contributions has been in building new and different kinds of partnerships in order to have the commitment and support that is necessary for their education. Agencies have been brought into partnerships in new ways and have been more willing to change the "terms" of partnerships to make them more egalitarian. The search for financial resources that may be hard to find for girls' education has resulted in partnerships of "unlike" organizations and agencies, including non-governmental organizations, teachers' organizations and communities. Such partnerships may have been complicated, but have also enriched dialogue and contributed to innovation.
  Within girls' education, two kinds of partnerships are noted as critical in enabling this education to move ahead: networking and mentoring. Through these partnerships, leaders, and women in particular, have found "spaces" for encouragement and sharing ideas.

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