In the Third World, women's literacy and access to primary education lags behind that of men, and the situation is more accentuated for rural than for urban women. In general, rural women have lower literacy than rural men and than urban women. Because a considerable percentage of girls enrolled in primary school are over 14 years old, marriage, pregnancy, and loss of interest in school often prevent graduation from primary school. Rural girls' access to formal education is the key to their integration into the development efforts of their countries and to better employment and marital options. Primary school education also provides rural women with the option of migration to urban areas. Obstacles to rural women's access to elementary education include: numerous household and childcare responsibilities; competing involvement in productive activities; parents' negative attitudes toward daughters' education; parents' limited financial and educational resources; shortage of schools; shortage of women school teachers and negative attitudes of male teachers; malnutrition and chronic infections; and educational sex-segregation. Policies which would increase access of low income boys and girls to primary education are needed. Additionally, policies directed specifically toward rural girls are needed to increase the probability that girls and boys will benefit equally. (Author/CM)