A New Era For Girls 2020 PDF

Foreword 1
A New Era for Girls

Taking stock of
25 years of progress
Acknowledgements
The preparation of this report was initiated and coordinated by the Gender Section,
Programme Division, UNICEF. Lauren Pandolfelli and Kusum Kali Pal, Division of Data,
Analytics, Planning and Monitoring, were responsible for data analysis and interpretation of
the results, with inputs from Jan Beise, Claudia Cappa, Liliana Carvajal, Allysha Choudhury,
Aleya Khalifa, Chibwe Lwamba, Colleen Murray and Nicole Petrowski, as well as Vladimira
Kantorova and Mark Wheldon of UN Population Division. Kimberly Chriscaden, Lauren
Pandolfelli and Leigh Pasqual were responsible for report writing.
Valuable insights were received from Shelly Abdool, Patty Alleman, Prerna Banati, Elana Banin,
Gerda Binder, Lara Burger, Sheeba Harma, Karen Humphries-Waa, Shoubo Jalal, Shreyasi Jha,
Vrinda Mehra, Suguru Mizunoya, Catherine Muller, Maha Muna, Lauren Rumble and Sagri
Singh from UNICEF; Ginette Azcona and Laura Turquet from UN Women; and Leila Asrari,
Jessica Malter and Selamawit Tesfaye from Plan International.
Editing: Naomi Lindt

Design and layout: Cecilia Silva Venturini
Please contact:
Gender Section, Programme Division
3 UN Plaza, New York, NY 10017
www.unicef.org/gender
gender@unicef.org
Suggested Citation: United Nations Children’s Fund, UN Women and Plan International,
A New Era for Girls: Taking Stock of 25 Years of Progress, New York, 2020.
© United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), March 2020

Contents 4
Taking stock
5
Foreword
6
Reflecting on a quarter century of progress
10
Education empowers girls for life and work
18
Gender-based violence and harmful practices violate
girls’ rights
26
Girls face heightened health risks in adolescence
36
Prioritizing actions with girls
38
Endnotes
4 A New Era for Girls I Taking stock of 25 years of progress
Taking stock Nearly 64 million girls were born

in 1995, the year the Beijing
education and the skills they need
for the workforce; and improving
Declaration and Platform for Action girls’ health and nutrition. This
was adopted, beginning their lives analysis is not intended to be an
as the global community committed exhaustive assessment of girls’
to improving their rights. In 2020, rights and well-being, but rather a
nearly 68 million girls are expected review of progress for girls in key
to be born. The analysis presented dimensions of their lives. It draws
in this report shows that while girls’ upon internationally comparable time
lives are better today than they series data to assess advancements
were 25 years ago, these gains against the strategic objectives for
are uneven across regions and girls set out in the Beijing Platform
countries. This is particularly true for for Action 25 years ago. Where a
adolescent girls. lack of data prevents trend analysis,
the current situation of girls is
To accelerate progress, girls need highlighted.
to be involved in both the decision-
making and designing of solutions The evidence provides a foundation
that impact their future. This report for recommendations to global,
demonstrates the need to focus national and regional stakeholders
on the realities girls face today on important actions that would
and addresses the critical issues enable girls to successfully transition
of ending gender-based violence, into adulthood with the ability to
child marriage and female genital make their own choices and with the
mutilation (FGM); making sure social and personal assets to live a
girls have access to 12 years of fulfilled life.
Foreword 5
Foreword
Today’s more than 1.1 billion girls are in school and literate – acquiring stigma, limited age-appropriate
poised to take on the future. Every key foundational skills for lifelong information, fear of side effects or
day, girls are breaking boundaries and success. But progress has been limited decision-making autonomy.
barriers to lead and foster a safer, uneven and far from equitable. In 2020, a gender-equitable world
healthier and more prosperous world Girls from the poorest households is still a long way off. The next
for all. They are tackling issues like or living in fragile or humanitarian steps for change must meaningfully
child marriage, education inequality, settings are not benefiting from include girls as decision-makers and
violence, climate justice, and the expansion in education, while designers of the solutions to the
inequitable access to healthcare. Girls the girls who are in school are challenges and opportunities they
are proving they are unstoppable. struggling to secure the quality face every day.
education they need to compete in
Back in 1995, the world adopted a rapidly changing workforce, where Girls are rights holders and
the Beijing Declaration and digital and transferable skills, like equal partners in the fight for
Platform for Action – the most critical thinking and confidence, are gender equality. They represent
comprehensive policy agenda for indispensable. a tremendous engine for
gender equality – with the vision transformational change towards
of ending discrimination against Today, no matter where a girl lives, gender equality. They deserve the
women and girls. But today, 25 she is risk of encountering violence full support of the global community
years later, discrimination and in every space – in the classroom, to be empowered to successfully
limiting stereotypes remain rife. home and community. And the transition to adulthood with their
Girls’ life expectancy has extended types of violence she will come rights intact, able to make their own
by eight years, yet for many the into contact with have become informed choices and with the social
quality of that life is still far from increasingly complex with the rise of and personal assets acquired to live
what was envisioned. Girls have technology. However, technology has fulfilled lives.
the right to expect more. The also opened up opportunities for girls
realities they face today, in contexts to grow their networks and learn We know the best advocates for
of technological change and digital and transferable skills that will girls are girls. Every girl is a powerful
humanitarian emergencies, are both prepare them for life and work. agent of change in her own right.
remarkably different from 1995 and And, when girls come together to
more of the same: with violence, To have an education and a future, demand action, shape policies, and
institutionalized biases, poor learning girls must also be healthy. Yet, when hold governments to account, we
and life opportunities, and multiple it comes to making decisions about can together change our schools,
inequalities unresolved. There are their health and well-being, girls still families, communities and nations
major breakthroughs still to be made. face significant barriers to accessing for the better. As leaders, it’s our
and benefiting from health services duty to bridge the generations,
There are many success stories: to meet their specific needs, such working with and for today’s girls to
Fewer girls are getting married or as those related to sexual and raise their voices and achieve their
becoming mothers, and more are reproductive health – due to cost, dreams.
Henrietta H. Fore Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka Anne-Birgitte Albrectsen

Executive Director, UNICEF Executive Director, UN Women CEO, Plan International
Reflecting on a quarter
century of progress
The world is home to more than That’s eight more years to live Discrimination and harmful gender
1.1 billion girls under age 18, who out their dreams, to participate in norms starting at birth (and in
are poised to become the largest decisions that affect their lives, and some places before birth through
generation of female leaders, to lead positive change in society. female foeticide) set limits on what
entrepreneurs and change-makers the Yet, girls continue to face enormous behaviours or opportunities are
world has ever seen. Girls are living hurdles in a world that still largely considered appropriate for girls.
longer lives than they were 25 years favours boys and men. Girls are still These beliefs are often entrenched
ago, when nations committed to excluded from decision-making that in laws and policies that fail to
advancing gender equality as part of impacts their lives, and the most uphold girls’ rights, such as rights to
the Beijing Declaration and Platform marginalized girls – those from inheritance. At least 60 per cent of
for Action. ethnic minorities, indigenous groups countries still discriminate against
and poor households; living in rural daughters’ rights to inherit land and
Girls born today can expect to or conflict settings; and living with non-land assets in either law or
live nearly eight more years, on disabilities – face additional layers of practice.2
average, than girls born in 1995.1 discrimination.
Reflecting on a quarter century of progress 7
I am glad to be a girl because

when girls are given the chance,
we will fight for our rights and
pass on what we have learned
to other girls who are facing the
same situations.”
Zaharah, age 16,

from Uganda
Gender discrimination not only skills needed to compete in today’s of gender-based violence. As girls
restricts girls’ abilities to accumulate labour market and gig economy. In lose their support systems and
human, social and productive assets, fact, worldwide, nearly one in four girls homes, and are placed in insecure
limiting their future educational aged 15–19 years is neither employed environments and in new roles,
and employment opportunities, nor in education or training compared their risk of gender-based violence,
but also hinders their well-being to 1 in 10 boys of the same age. including sexual violence, intimate
and diminishes their self-belief. partner violence, child marriage and
As a result, by the time girls reach The risk of violence in every space abuse, increases.
adolescence, many are left dreaming – online and in the classroom,
instead of achieving. home and community – similarly While fewer adolescent girls are
keeps girls from achieving. Thirteen becoming mothers today, they still
When it comes to education today, million girls aged 15–19 years have face a high risk of sexually-transmitted
fewer girls are out of school. Nearly experienced forced sex in their infections and anaemia – risks that
two in three girls are enrolled in lifetimes. Meanwhile, even though increase when they struggle to access
secondary school compared to one in harmful practices such as child age-appropriate health services and
two in 1998. However, we are facing marriage and FGM have declined in information. This is nowhere more
a globally recognized “learning crisis”; the past 25 years, they continue to obvious than in the case of HIV, where
this means, even when girls are in disrupt and damage the lives and adolescent girls continue to bear the
school, many do not receive a quality potential of millions of girls globally. brunt of the virus’s effects. Globally,
education. Many are not developing 970,000 adolescent girls aged
the transferable skills, like critical Further, conflict and displacement 10–19 years are living with HIV today,
thinking and communication, or digital only heighten the risk and realities compared to 740,000 in 1995.
Girls are a unique group requiring focused commitments
The global community has good Likewise, programmes and

cause to celebrate the progress interventions to support adolescent
achieved over the last quarter century girls are often disjointed, and they
in the name of girls’ rights. But we fall through the gaps in approaches
cannot lose sight of the challenges only targeted at either children
girls still face every day. or women. For example, efforts
to end child marriage are often
Twenty-five years ago, the Beijing disconnected from efforts to support
Platform for Action recognized that school retention or secure sexual
childhood is a separate space from and reproductive health. Adolescent
adulthood. Girls’ needs, preferences girls’ challenges and the solutions to
and vulnerabilities are related to them must be addressed holistically,
women’s, but are also distinct. The as success in each area pushes
Platform called upon governments, progress in another.
There is no definition of donors and civil society to invest in
ending discrimination against girls and For progress to be achieved,
what it means to be a girl.
eliminating barriers in health, nutrition, girls’ voices and solutions must
What a man can do,
education and related domains that take centre stage, and the
a woman can do, too. prevent them from realizing their global community, including
I believe life would be full potential. It also called upon
governments, civil society
better if we didn’t have governments to ensure that all data
organizations, multilaterals,
those stereotypes.” is disaggregated and analysed by
statisticians and the private
sex and age so governments can
Lan*, Grade 10, Viet Nam formulate policies and programmes,
sector must work with girls
*name changed to protect identity and make decisions that better to take actions that set them
protect and support girls in achieving up to succeed.
brighter futures.
Empowering girls will require the
Adopted in 2015, the 2030 Agenda global community to:
for Sustainable Development renews
the commitment to creating a • Expand opportunities for girls to
world where all girls are healthy and be the changemakers, actively
protected, learn and have a fair chance engaging their voices and opinions
to succeed. But, commitment has in their communities and political
not led to direct investments: Only a processes about any decision
fraction of international aid dollars is that relates to their bodies,
spent on meeting the needs of girls.3 education, career and future. All
actions should place girls’ voices
Similarly, even forward-looking policies and solutions at the centre – no
and programmes addressing girls’ decisions for girls, without girls.
challenges specifically, including skills
development for employability, often • Scale up investments in girls’
start only after adolescent girls have programming models that will
transitioned into adulthood, missing accelerate progress aligned
the millions of girls that have never with today’s reality, including
set foot in school and live in poverty. in developing adolescent girls’
Limited investment in these key areas education and skills for the Fourth
means girls are already lagging behind Industrial Revolution; ending
when it comes to achieving equal gender-based violence, child
participation in society as adults. marriage and FGM; and ensuring
Reflecting on a quarter century of progress 9
My family’s situation and the

challenges I face every day to
attend school will not stop me
from continuing to fight for my
dreams. I worry that some of my
friends are not studying due to
lack of money or because they
are not interested in education
or because their family does not
support them. I always advise
them to return to school if they
want to have a better future.”
Timotea, age 14, from Guatemala
girls have accurate, timely and children and adolescents, including and those who may be marginalized
respectful health information adolescents aged 10–14 years, due to sexual orientation or gender
and services. This also includes particularly in areas where data identity. This would drive evidence-
building synergies and expanding are limited, such as gender-based informed policy and programme
partnerships between adolescent violence, twenty-first century skills decisions for adolescent girls,
girls’ skills development and acquisition, adolescent nutrition, alongside better accountability.
women’s economic participation to and mental health.
address persistent gender divides in Once girls have gained the right
areas such as science, technology, Additionally, to ensure all girls live tools and the space to strengthen
engineering, and math (STEM). a fulfilled life, data must make their engagement and leadership,
marginalized girls visible. This includes they will be well placed to shape
• Boost investments into the girls living with disabilities, in poor the world around them, opening
production and intersectional households and in rural areas, from doors for them to be at the heart
analysis of high quality, timely ethnic minorities and indigenous of decision-making processes that
sex-and age-disaggregated data for groups, in fragile and conflict settings affect their lives.
Education empowers girls

for life and work
Primary education provides children marginally more than women Even so, completing secondary
with the foundation for a lifetime of with no education, women with school is insufficient if girls do
learning, while secondary education secondary education earn twice not acquire a quality education
equips them with the knowledge and as much, on average, compared to with transferable skills, such
skills needed to become empowered women who never went to school.4 as critical thinking and problem
and engaged adults. The benefits solving and digital skills, both of
of secondary education for girls are Critical to ensuring girls complete which are needed in the labour
significant. Compared to girls with school is a home environment force. These are necessary for
only a primary education, girls with that prioritizes learning and future employability, yet too many
secondary education are less likely a safe and supportive school education systems worldwide fail
to marry and become pregnant as environment with functioning to deliver a quality education that
adolescents. And, while women toilets, a relevant curriculum, supports girls in their transition from
with primary education earn only and trained teachers. school to work.
Education empowers girls for life and work 11
The number of girls out of school worldwide dropped by 79 million between 1998 and 2018
At the primary level, the number fell Figure 1. Number of out-of-school children, by level of education and sex, 1998–2018
by more than half, from 65 million to
32 million (see Figure 1). Regionally, World in 1998 Male Female
400 382.3 million Primary age
while fewer girls are out of school Lower secondary age
today in East Asia and the Pacific, 90.8 million Upper secondary age
350
and in South Asia (14 million and 45
million, respectively), the reverse
300
is true in sub-Saharan Africa. While World in 2018
258.3 million
fewer girls of primary-school age 82.2 million
are out of school today in the 250
Number (in millions)

67.0 million
region, 2 million more girls of lower

secondary age and 5 million more 200
52.5 million
girls of upper-secondary age are out 70.8 million
of school today (see Figure 2). This 150

44.7 million
is because enrollment rates have
not kept pace with the increase 100
29.8 million
65.1 million
in the school-age population in 31.6 million
the region, which is home to the 50 32.3 million
fasting growing child population, 47.0 million
worldwide. 0
26.8 million
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Gender disparities in the number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), September 2019.
of out-of-school children have also
narrowed substantially over the
past two decades. At the secondary
level, they have shifted to the Figure 2. Number of out-of-school children, by sex, level of education, select regions,1998*
disadvantage of boys. and 2018
Globally, in 1998, there were 45
more girls of secondary school 40

41
38
age out of school than boys
35
(143 million girls compared to
32
127 million boys). Today, the 30
31
opposite is true: There are 97

Number (in millions)
25 24 24
million girls of secondary school
21 21
age out of school compared to 20 19
20 20
18
18
102 million boys. 15 15
17
15 15
14 14
13 13 13
12 11
Still, despite the remarkable 10
9
9
10
7 7
gains made for girls in the past 7
6 5
7
5
4
two decades, they are still more 3 3
disadvantaged at the primary level, 0
with 5.5 million more girls than boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys
of this age out of school worldwide. East Asia

and the Pacific
South Asia Sub-Saharan
Africa
East Asia
and the Pacific
Africa
East Asia
and the Pacific
Africa
Added to this, global progress in

Primary age Lower secondary age Upper secondary age
reducing the number of out-of-
school children at the primary level 1998 2018
has stagnated for both girls and
boys since 2007.
Note: *For South Asia, the first data point for lower secondary age and upper secondary age is 1999.
Today, two in three girls of secondary school age globally are enrolled in secondary school compared
to only one in two in 1998
Since 1998, globally, the gender gap in primary school enrolment has
narrowed from 6 percentage points to 2 percentage points. And at the
secondary level, the gender gap has closed (see Figure 3).
Figure 3. Net enrolment rate, by sex and education level, 1998–2018
100
Primary school age
80
Percentage
Secondary school age
60
40
1998 2000 2003 2006 2009 2012 2015 2018
Total Girls Boys
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics, September 2019.
While all regions have seen increases in girls’ secondary school enrolment over the past two decades,
there are wide regional variations today
Between 1999 and 2018, the Figure 4. Female net enrolment ratio, by education level and region, 1999 and 2018*
proportion of secondary school
100
age adolescent girls enrolled 96
94
95
94
95
94
95
95
92 94
in secondary school increased 90
83
88 87
80 81
from three in five to four in five 79 79
72
71
in East Asia and the Pacific and 67 67
60 61 60
from 33 per cent to 60 per cent 57
54
Percentage
in South Asia. During this same

40
period, girls’ secondary school 33 34
enrolment rose from 57 per cent 20 18

to 71 per cent in the Middle East
and North Africa while in sub- 0
Saharan Africa, only 34 per cent

Primary age
Secondary age
Primary age
Secondary age
Primary age
Secondary age
Primary age
Secondary age
Primary age
Secondary age
Primary age
Secondary age
Primary age
Secondary age
of girls of secondary school age

are enrolled in secondary school
today compared to 18 per cent in East Asia
and the Pacific
Europe and
Central Asia
Latin America and
the Caribbean
Middle East and
North Africa
North America South Asia
Sub-Saharan
Africa
1999 (see Figure 4).

1999 2018 (or the latest year)

Note: *For East Asia and the Pacific and sub-Saharan Africa, the latest available data for primary age education are
2015 and 2009, respectively.
Worldwide, four of five girls complete primary school but only two of five complete upper secondary
school
In all regions, girls and boys are Figure 5. Completion rate, by sex and education level, 2012–2018*
equally likely to complete primary
100 96 Boys Girls
school (see Figure 5). But at the 96 95
90 94 88
87 88
secondary level, gender parity in 83
83 83 85
80 82 80
completion rates is not sustained 71 75 75
69 71
across all regions. For example, in 70
68
66 64
64
East Asia and the Pacific and Latin
Percentage
60 59
56 53
America and the Caribbean, girls are 50
47
50 52
48
43 45 44 42
more likely than boys to complete 40
38
35
upper secondary school, but in South 30 29
Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, the 20
reverse is true. Only 38 per cent of 10
girls in South Asia and 29 per cent of 0

Primary age
Lower secondary age
Upper secondary age
Primary age
Lower secondary age
Upper secondary age
Primary age
Lower secondary age
Upper secondary age
Primary age
Lower secondary age
Upper secondary age
Primary age
Lower secondary age
Upper secondary age
Primary age
Lower secondary age
Upper secondary age

girls in sub-Saharan Africa complete
upper secondary school. And girls
from the poorest households are
often doubly disadvantaged. In low East Asia Latin America and Middle East Sub-Saharan
Global South Asia
income countries, for instance, and the Pacific the Caribbean and North Africa Africa
only 8 per cent and 2 per cent of

girls from the poorest households Source: UNICEF global databases, 2019, based on DHS, MICS, other national surveys and data from routine reporting
systems.
complete lower secondary and upper Note: *Data refer to the most recent year available during the period specified in the chart title. Data were insufficient to
secondary school, respectively.5 calculate a regional average for Europe and Central Asia and North America.
The number of female youth aged 15–24 years who are illiterate declined from 100 million to 56
million between 1995 and 2018, but 1 in 10 female youth remain illiterate today
Literacy, a basic foundational skill Figure 6. Literacy rate among youth aged 15–24 years, by region and sex, 1995–2018
necessary for personal growth and 99 99 100 98
100
active citizenship, has increased 96 100
93
99 99 99
93
globally among youth over the 92 91
93 95 89
90 88
past 25 years, but a gender gap 90
88
at the expense of girls persists. 87
79
Adolescent girls and young women 80
80
73
aged 15–24 years make up 56 per 76
73
Percentage
cent of the global illiterate youth 70

74
population today compared to 61

per cent in 1995. South Asia has 60 61
seen the most progress for girls.
In 1995, 7 in 13 female youth were 54
50
literate compared to 11 in 13 female
youth, today. In sub-Saharan Africa,
the region with the widest gender 40
1995 2018 1995 2018 1995 2018 1995 2018 1995 2018 1995 2018 1995 2018
disparity in youth literacy rates, just World

East Asia
and the
Europe and Latin America Middle East
and North South Asia
Sub-Saharan
Central Asia and the Africa
under three in four adolescent girls Pacific Caribbean Africa
and young women are literate today Female Male
(see Figure 6). Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), September 2019.
Note: Data were not available for North America.
Adolescent girls outperform boys in reading while math performance is more varied
Assessing the relative achievements gender differences in educational

of girls and boys in secondary school attainment, emerging evidence
provides insights into whether of the role of positive gender
education systems are meeting socialization, both at school and
the needs of girls and boys equally. at home, suggests that parents,
Skills in reading and mathematics teachers and policymakers can foster
are critical for anyone’s successful foundational skills in reading and
entry into the labour market. These math in all children.6
skills also serve as the foundation
for others, such as digital literacy. Lower expectations of girls’
performance in subjects other than
At the end of lower secondary school, reading and a lack of role models
girls outperform boys in reading across become barriers for girls to develop
all countries with available data. In essential skills for future careers,
math proficiency, results are more such as digital skills or skills in in the Fourth Industrial Revolution,
varied, with girls performing better than science, technology, engineering, such as innovative and critical
boys in about half of the countries and math (STEM). This in turn thinking, problem solving and
with available data (see Figure 7). decreases their perceptions of entrepreneurship. As a result, many
self-efficacy and ability and can adolescent girls leave school without
While there has been much debate lead to girls being excluded from the skills required to succeed in
about the factors that account for developing skills crucial to engage twenty-first century jobs.
Figure 7. Percentage of children and young people at the end of lower secondary school achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in reading
and math, by sex, 2010–2017*
100 100
Higher proportion of boys Higher proportion of boys achieving
achieving reading proficiency mathematics proficiency
90 90
80 80
70 70
Boys (percentage)
60 60
50 50
40 40
30 30
20 20
10 10
Higher proportion of girls Higher proportion of girls
achieving reading proficiency achieving mathematics proficiency
0 0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Girls (percentage) Girls (percentage)
East Asia and the Pacific Europe and Central Asia Latin America and the Caribbean Middle East and North Africa North America South Asia Sub-Saharan Africa
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, 2019.

Note: Minimum proficiency level is the benchmark of basic knowledge measured through school-based learning assessments. Each dot represents a country, with x- and y-axes
indicating the proportions of girls and boys in the country achieving minimum proficiency, respectively. The diagonal line represents the gender parity line. Data points below the
gender parity line represent countries where higher proportions of girls than boys reach proficiency.
In more than five of six countries with available data, girls aged 10–14 years are more likely than boys of the
same age to spend 21 or more hours on household chores per week
Starting in childhood, girls are Figure 8. Percentage of adolescents aged 10–14 years who, during the reference week, spent
at least 21 hours on unpaid household services, by sex, 2010–2018*
often assigned more household
chores than boys. This is often
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Boys
due to gender norms that deem Ethiopia
Girls Benin
domestic responsibilities as Rwanda
Chad
women’s and girls’ work. In Burundi

Burkina Faso
Comoros
countries in West and Central Niger
Mali
Africa in particular, the gender Central African Republic
Senegal
Afghanistan
disparity in time spent on Cameroon
Mauritania
household chores is stark. Democratic Republic of the Congo
El Salvador
Angola
For example, in Burkina Faso, Mongolia
Uganda
girls aged 10–14 years are three Côte d'Ivoire
Guinea
times more likely than boys of Nepal

Togo
Sao Tome and Principe
the same age to engage in 21 or Guinea-Bissau
Haiti
more hours of household chores Malawi
Ghana
Chile
(see Figure 8). Nigeria
Zambia
Solomon Islands
Paraguay
Congo
Household chores are a normal Sudan
United Republic of Tanzania
part of family life – for both girls Gabon
Iraq
and boys – and are not always State of Palestine

Cambodia
Egypt
detrimental to children’s health Liberia
Peru
and well-being. But, it is the Sierra Leone
Bhutan
Viet Nam
amount of time spent on chores Dominican Republic
Belize
that can curtail girls’ opportunities Costa Rica
Colombia
Kyrgyzstan
to enjoy the pleasures of Guyana
Eswatini
childhood, including time to play, Albania
Jordan
build social networks and focus Lao People's Democratic Republic

Suriname
Uruguay
on their education.7 The types South Africa
Ukraine
of chores girls typically perform, Mexico
North Macedonia
Algeria
including cooking, cleaning and Montenegro
Saint Lucia
caring for others, also lay the Tunisia
Armenia
Georgia
groundwork for girls to assume Vanuatu
Serbia
a disproportionate level of Jamaica
Belarus
responsibility for these activities Trinidad and Tobago

Turkmenistan
Barbados
as women, limiting their ability to
enter and advance in the labour Source: UNICEF global databases, 2019, based on DHS, MICS and other national surveys.
market.8 Note: *Data refer to the most recent year available during the period specified in the chart title.
To me, it’s very sad that in the twenty-first century, men in many parts of
society still believe that women should stay at home, do all the chores, and
not study certain subjects.”
Yasmira, a youth advocate, from Colombia

Female youth labour force participation has declined over the past 25 years, owing in part to improved
educational opportunities
Globally, the participation of female Figure 9. Youth labour force participation rate (percentage), by sex and region, 1995–2020
youth aged 15–24 years in the
80
labour force has declined from 47
per cent in 1995 to 33 per cent in 70
2020 (see Figure 9). This is partly
because of greater education 60
opportunities for girls. For example,

in East Asia and the Pacific, a 50
region that saw a substantive

Percentage
increase in girls’ secondary school 40
enrolment over the past 25 years,

30
female youth participation in the
labour force has declined by 24
20
percentage points. But, the decline
as well as the sizeable gender 10
gap, cannot be explained only by
increasing educational opportunities 0
1995 2020 1995 2020 1995 2020 1995 2020 1995 2020 1995 2020 1995 2020 1995 2020
for girls. Globally, 22 per cent of
youth aged 15–24 years are neither World
East Asia
and the
Europe
and
Latin
America and
Middle East
and North
North South Sub-Saharan
America Asia Africa
in employment nor in education Pacific Central Asia the Caribbean Africa
or training (NEET), 68 per cent of Male Female

which are adolescent girls and
young women.9 Source: UNICEF calculations based on International Labour Organization data, 2019.
Nearly one in four adolescent girls aged 15–19 years globally are neither in education, employment nor training
compared to 1 in 10 boys of the same age
Among the proportion of Figure 10. Percentage of adolescents aged 15–19 years not in employment, education or
adolescents who are NEET, the training (NEET), by sex, 2010–2018*
gender disparity is also stark. 40
In South Asia, for example,

35
33
adolescent girls are over four
times as likely to be in that 30
situation than adolescent boys 25

24
22
Percentage
(see Figure 10). This suggests 20

20
that even in childhood, girls’
aspirations for education and 15
12 12
employment compete with gender 10 13 13
11
biases in the labour market and 10 10
5 8
societal expectations of girls,
such as marrying young and 0
Europe and Latin America Sub-Saharan
World North America South Asia
having children, and assuming a Central Asia and the Caribbean Africa
disproportionate share of unpaid Girls Boys

domestic and care work.
Source: UNICEF calculations based on International Labour Organization data, 2019.
Note: *Data refer to the most recent year available during the period specified in the chart title. Data not available for
East Asia and the Pacific and Middle East and North Africa.
Gender-based violence and harmful

practices violate girls’ rights
Gender-based violence is one of rob girls of their childhood and Such practices, which occur in a
the most pervasive violations of compromise their options and wide range of countries, are driven
human rights across the world. It opportunities throughout life. by complex interrelated factors,
occurs in various forms and does linked to deep-rooted cultural gender
not discriminate according to race, Girls who marry before turning 18 norms, insecurity and poverty.
religion, culture, class or country. are less likely to remain in school and Conflict and displacement heighten
Predominantly experienced by more likely to become pregnant in the risks and realities of gender-
women and girls, it is rooted in adolescence. In some regions, they based violence and some harmful
gender-based power imbalances are also more likely to experience practices, such as child marriage. As
and fuelled by many factors, domestic violence. Child marriage girls and women lose their support
including harmful gender norms can isolate girls from family and systems as well as homes, and are
and insufficient legal protections. friends and exclude them from placed in insecure environments and
When girls and women experience participating in their communities, in new roles, their risk of violence
gender-based violence, the impacts taking a heavy toll on their physical increases. The trafficking of girls, for
are lifelong. It increases their risk of and psychological well-being. While example, tends to increase in crises,
HIV, unintended pregnancy, alcohol ending child marriage is a must, including conflict and post-conflict
abuse, suicide and depression. mechanisms should also be set up to situations. In 2016, girls accounted
ensure girls who are already married for about 23 per cent of detected
Harmful practices, such as receive the services and support trafficking victims globally, the
FGM and child marriage are a they need, including access to health majority of whom were trafficked for
violation of girls’ human rights, services and education. sexual exploitation.10
Gender-based violence and harmful practices violate girls’ rights 19
The combination of son preference and access to prenatal sex determination technologies has led
to the birth of more boys than biologically expected in some countries
Gender-based violence can begin for every 100 females. However, with
in utero. A combination of son the exception of India and Pakistan,
and small family-size preferences peaks in the sex ratio at birth have
and the availability of prenatal sex been followed by steady declines in
determination technologies has the past two decades. And, in Georgia
resulted, historically, in imbalanced and the Republic of Korea, values
sex ratios in some countries in East have returned to biologically expected
Asia and the Pacific, Europe and levels. In the Republic of Korea, this
Central Asia, and South Asia.11 For shift is partly attributed to legislation
example, in Armenia, between 2001 banning sex-selective abortions.
and 2002, 118 males were born for However, in India, where sex-selective
every 100 females, suggestive of abortions have been illegal since 1996,
acute gender discrimination against the sex ratio at birth has remained
girls. Currently, the highest sex ratios persistently high at 110 male births
at birth are observed in Azerbaijan per 100 females over nearly the past
and China, where 112 males are born 15 years (see Figure 11).
Figure 11. Imbalanced sex ratios at birth, select countries, 1970–2020
118
116
114
China
Azerbaijan
Male births per 100 female births
112
Viet Nam
Armenia
110 India
Pakistan
Albania
108
Georgia
106
Republic
of Korea
104
102
100
1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020
Source: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, World Population Prospects 2019, online edition, rev. 1.
Note: The sex ratio at birth represents the number of males born for every 100 females. Because more males are born than females, due to biological reasons, a natural sex ratio
at birth ranges from 103 to 107 male births for every 100 female births.
Child marriage has become less common over the past 25 years
Since 1995, the proportion of young Figure 12. Percentage of women aged 20–24 years who were first married or in union before
age 18, by region
women who were married as
children has declined globally from
70
one in four to approximately one in
five. Encouragingly, this is happening
in countries where a large numbers
of girls are at risk, such as in South 60
Asia. In that region, the practice of

child marriage has almost halved in
the last 25 years, declining from 59
per cent to 30 per cent today (see 50
Figure 12).
But progress is far from

universal. Millions of girls 40
remain at risk of child

Percentage
marriage today, particularly

the poorest girls.
30
In fact, the gap in prevalence

between the richest and poorest has
widened in most parts of the world.
Globally, progress to date has been 20
stronger among the richer segments

of society, and millions of girls who
are among the world’s poorest
10
remain vulnerable.12 Moreover,
efforts to stop child marriage run up
against harmful gender norms, laws
and policies that fail to put girls’ 0
rights first. For example, although all Sub-Saharan
Middle East Latin America Eastern
East Asia and
World South Asia and North and the Europe and
but 4 of 170 countries and territories Africa
Africa Caribbean Central Asia
the Pacific
with available data specify 18 as a

legal minimum age of marriage for 25 years ago 10 years ago Today
girls, nearly two thirds of countries

allow girls to marry before age 18 Source: UNICEF global databases, 2019, based on MICS, DHS and other nationally representative sources.
with parental or judicial consent.13 Note: Analysis based on a subset of 97 countries with nationally representative data from 2012–2018, representing 62
per cent of the global population of women aged 20–24 years. Regional aggregates are based on at least 50 per cent
population coverage. Data were insufficient to calculate regional averages for North America and Western Europe.
When I learned that my parents wanted to marry me off, I knew I couldn’t let
it happen. If I did, what kind of message would I be sending to other girls? With
community support, I told my parents, I’d go to the police if they didn’t give up.”
Phulan, age 18, from Nepal, who is now free to continue her studies
The prevalence of FGM has Figure 13. Percentage of adolescent girls aged 15–19 years who have undergone FGM
declined over the past 25 years
but the pace of decline has 50
been uneven
47
45
44
Despite FGM being internationally 40 42
recognized as a human rights 39
violation that affects girls and
women worldwide, one in three 34
30
adolescent girls aged 15–19 years
Percentage
are still cut today in 31 practising
countries with national data on
20
prevalence (see Figure 13). In
many of the countries where
FGM is performed, it is a deeply
10
entrenched social norm rooted
in gender inequality. Yet there
is evidence of change, with the
practice declining in both countries 0
25 years ago 20 years ago 15 years ago 10 years ago 5 years ago Today
where it was once universal
as well as those with smaller
practising communities. Source: UNICEF global databases, 2020, based on DHS, MICS and other national surveys, 2004–2018.
Note: This is a weighted average based on comparable data from 31 practising countries with nationally representative
data on the prevalence of FGM.
Among countries most affected Figure 14. Percentage of girls and women aged 15–49 years who have heard of FGM and think
the practice should stop, in high-prevalence countries
by FGM, opposition to the
practice is growing
60
Opposition to FGM can be

leveraged to promote elimination, 54
50
particularly through education,
communication and mobilization
platforms that help challenge 40
44
traditional mindsets and promote
Percentage
behaviour change. And in countries

in which at least 50 per cent of 30
girls and women have undergone

FGM, opposition is growing. In the 27
last two decades, the proportion 20
of girls and women aged 15-49

years in high prevalence countries
10
who want the practice to stop has
doubled (see Figure 14). Moreover,
adolescent girls are more likely
0
than older women to oppose the
Around 2000 Around 2007 Today
continuation of FGM - suggesting
that girls can lead the way towards
Source: UNICEF global databases, 2020, based on DHS, MICS and other national surveys.
abandonment of the practice.14 Note: In high-prevalence countries, at least 50 per cent of girls and women have undergone FGM.
In more than one third of countries with comparable data, at least one in four ever-partnered adolescent girls
have experienced recent intimate partner violence
Though both sexes can experience or as a normal and acceptable way (see Figure 15). Regionally, around one
intimate partner violence, women to resolve conflict. in five ever-partnered girls between the
and adolescent girls are at much ages of 15 and 19 in sub-Saharan Africa
greater risk for numerous reasons. Among 62 countries with comparable and South Asia have experienced
Harmful gender norms that cast data on ever-partnered girls aged intimate partner violence. However,
women and girls as inferior to men 15–19 years who have experienced these data likely underestimate the
and boys are a major cause. These recent intimate partner violence, extent of intimate partner violence
norms justify violence as a means prevalence rates range from two per experienced by adolescent girls since
of controlling female bodies and cent in Ukraine to more than 50 per girls often do not report due to shame
choices, as a form of punishment, cent in Namibia and Equatorial Guinea and fear of retribution.
Figure 15. Percentage of ever-partnered girls aged 15–19 years who have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by a current or former
intimate partner during the last 12 months, 2010–2018*
60
56
52
50
41 40
40
38 38 37
36
35
Percentage
32 32
31 31 30 30
30 29
28 28 28 28 27 27
24 24
23 23 23 23
22 22
20
20 19
18 18 18 18
17 17
16 16
15 15
14 13
12 12
11 11 10
10 9 9
8 8
7 7
6 6
5 5
4
3 2
0
Equatorial Guinea
Namibia
Tonga
Gabon
Burundi
Timor-Leste
Liberia
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Micronesia (Federated States of)
Central African Republic
Zimbabwe
Uganda
Sierra Leone
United Republic of Tanzania
Zambia
Afghanistan
Bangladesh
Malawi
Haiti
Sao Tome and Principe
Cameroon
Marshall Islands
Ethiopia
Angola
Kenya
Colombia
Ghana
Mali
Dominican Republic
Myanmar
Côte d'Ivoire
Senegal
Jordan
Turkey
Peru
India
Nepal
Egypt
Honduras
Viet Nam
Republic of Moldova
Chad
Lao People's Democratic Republic
Togo
Nicaragua
Azerbaijan
Philippines
Jamaica
Mozambique
Nigeria
Guatemala
Mongolia
Palau
El Salvador
Cambodia
Tajikistan
Cook Islands
Gambia
Burkina Faso
Comoros
Kyrgyzstan
Ukraine
Notes: *Data refer to the most recent year available during the period specified in the chart title. Data for Côte d’Ivoire refer to currently married girls. Data for Bangladesh, Cook
Islands, El Salvador, Jamaica, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Mongolia, Nicaragua and Palau differ from the standard definition. Data for Equatorial Guinea and Namibia are
based on 25 to 49 unweighted cases and should be interpreted with caution. Data for Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia and Tonga refer to girls aged 15 to 24 years
and differ from the standard definition. Data for Mozambique refer to girls aged 18 to 19 years. Data for Turkey refer to girls aged 15 to 24 years. Data for Viet Nam refer to girls
aged 18 to 24 years and differ from the standard definition.
If you give a girl the comprehensive sex education she deserves, by the time
she grows up, she’ll be able to make an informed decision about whom to
have sex with and when. And if someone tries to exploit her for sex, she’ll
be able to recognize that this is happening and demand her rights.”
Marelin, age 19, from the Dominican Republic

Nearly 4 in 10 adolescent girls globally think wife-beating is justified
The social acceptability of intimate Figure 16. Percentage of adolescents aged 15–19 years old who consider a husband to be
justified in hitting or beating his wife for at least one of five specified reasons, by sex and region,
partner violence is reflected in
2012–2018*
attitudes about wife-beating.
Acceptance among adolescents
Girls
suggests that it can be difficult for World 38
Boys
37
married girls who experience violence
to seek assistance, whether formally Sub-Saharan 44
or informally, and for unmarried girls Africa
36
to identify and negotiate healthy and
Middle East and
equitable relationships. North Africa
44
More than 40 per cent of adolescent 42

South Asia
girls aged 15–19 years in South Asia, 39
the Middle East and North Africa, and
Eastern Europe 11
sub-Saharan Africa think a husband and Central Asia
is justified in hitting or beating his
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
wife under certain circumstances. Percentage
Moreover, globally, adolescent girls
are as likely to justify wife-beating as
boys (see Figure 16). Such attitudes
Notes: *Data refer to the most recent year available during the period specified in the chart title. Reasons are if his wife:
may be influenced by deeply burns the food, argues with him, goes out without telling him, neglects the children or refuses sexual relations. Regional
estimates represent data from countries covering at least 50 per cent of the regional population of *Data refer to the
embedded gender norms that ascribe most recent year available during the period specified in the chart title. Reasons are if his wife: burns the food, argues with
a lower social status to women and him, goes out without telling him, neglects the children or refuses sexual relations. aged 15–19 years. Data coverage was
insufficient to calculate regional averages for East Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, North America
girls than to men and boys. and Western Europe and for boys for the Middle East and North Africa and Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
Today, boys are still educated on the basis of very traditional values
with little respect given to the role of women in society. In school,
they are considered funny when they lift up girls’ skirts.”
Celia, age 23, from Spain
Most adolescent girls who have experienced forced sex never seek help
One in every 20 adolescent girls Figure 17. Among girls aged 15–19 years who ever experienced forced sex, the percentage who
sought help from professional sources, 2005–2018*
aged 15–19 years, around thirteen
million, have experienced forced Percentage
0 10 20 30
sex, one of the most violent forms Maldives 23
of sexual abuse women and girls Sierra Leone 15
Dominican Republic 11
can suffer, in their lifetime.15 Yet, Honduras 11
very few of them seek professional Zimbabwe 9
help, preferring to keep their abuse Angola 9
Burundi 9
secret. Haiti 7
Benin 6
Guatemala 6
In the majority of countries Togo 6
with available data, fewer Rwanda 5
than 10 per cent of adolescent United Republic of Tanzania 5
Uganda 5
girls aged 15–19 years who Malawi 4
experienced forced sex sought Nepal 4
Mozambique 4
professional help (see Figure 17). India 3
Gabon 3
The reasons for this are varied, Papua New Guinea 3
Nigeria 2
but can include fear of retaliation, Comoros 2
guilt, shame, fear of being blamed, Zambia 2
Philippines 2
lack of confidence in the abilities or
Cameroon 1
willingness of professionals to help, Kenya 1
lack of knowledge about available Gambia 1
Democratic Republic of the Congo 1
support services and mistrust of Mali 0
law enforcement. Afghanistan 0
Chad 0
Ethiopia 0
Social norms can also affect a Ghana 0
survivor’s reluctance to come Namibia 0
Peru 0
forward or dictate to whom she
Senegal 0
or he is expected to look to for Timor-Leste 0
assistance. Formal support services
for survivors, including survivor- Source: UNICEF global databases, 2019, based on DHS and MICS.
centred health services, continue Note: *Data refer to the most recent year available during the period specified in the chart title. Professional sources of help
include doctor/medical personnel, police, lawyer/court and social service organization. Data for Chad, the Comoros, Ethiopia,
to be lacking in many communities, the Gambia, Kenya, Namibia, Nepal, Peru, Senegal and Timor-Leste are based on 25–49 unweighted cases and should be
creating even more obstacles for interpreted with caution. Data for Afghanistan refer to ever-married girls aged 15–19 years who have ever experienced
forced sex committed by a husband. The figures in this chart may overestimate help-seeking from professional sources for
those who consider seeking help.16 experiences of forced sex since they also include those who have ever experienced any physical violence and sought help.
Girls face heightened

health risks in adolescence
Today, more children and adolescents and harmful expectations to marry or and benefit from health services
are surviving than 25 years ago, but become mothers while still children. to meet their specific needs.
too few are thriving. Early childhood
is a time to lay the foundations for Similarly, during early childhood, Pregnancy, higher risks of HIV
a healthy life. Good nutrition and girls are no more likely than boys to and human papillomavirus (HPV)
nurturing care are essential building manifest symptoms of depression, infection, which are all preventable,
blocks of children’s physical and but after puberty girls’ risks of are some of the significant health
cognitive development, allowing them depressive disorders increase challenges girls face, with potentially
to survive, grow, learn and play. substantially – and they are more lifelong consequences to their health
likely than boys to be diagnosed with and well-being.
Girls’ and boys’ nutritional needs are clinical depression in adolescence.18
largely the same in early childhood. Among adolescent girls aged 15–19 In humanitarian emergencies, girls
And, there are no observable years, suicide is the second leading are at heightened risk of unwanted
differences in the prevalence of cause of death, only surpassed by pregnancy, HIV infection, maternal
stunting, wasting or overweight by maternal conditions.19 death and disability, as well as
sex among children under five.17 gender-based violence, yet they are
But, girls are especially vulnerable to Gender norms and often forgotten in the response.20
malnutrition during adolescence – a discrimination can heighten With limited access to health
period characterized by rapid physical health risks and rights violations, services, information or safe spaces,
growth, the onset of menstruation, impacting girls’ ability to access girls’ vulnerabilities in crises increase.
Girls face heightened health risks in adolescence 27
Over the past 20 years, progress to reduce anaemia among adolescent girls has been slow
Adolescent girls have an increased during pregnancy is associated

risk of iron deficiency anaemia with mortality and morbidity in the
due to their growth spurts and mother and baby, including risk of
menstruation. Iron deficiency miscarriages, stillbirths, prematurity
and iron deficiency anaemia are and low birth weight.23
the leading causes of adolescent
disability-adjusted life years (DALY) Based on analysis of a subset of
lost by girls aged 10–19 years.21 12 countries with trend data on
Among women, iron-deficiency the prevalence of anaemia among
anaemia is linked to the greater adolescent girls aged 15–19 years,
likelihood of being poor, and lacking progress to reduce anaemia among
power and access to resources.22 adolescent girls has been slow.
In all 12 countries, adolescent girls’
Pregnant adolescents are particularly anaemia was a severe public health
vulnerable to anaemia because they problem 20 years ago, and in a
have dual iron requirements, for majority of these countries, the crisis
their own growth and the growth remains today (see Figure 18).
of the fetus. Having anaemia
Figure 18. Percentage of adolescent girls aged 15–19 years with any anaemia, select countries, 2000–2017
42
Malawi (2004, 2015) Prevalence
35
decreased to
Cameroon (2004, 2011)
46 below 40%
40
49
Tanzania (2004, 2015)
47
Guinea (2005, 2012)

51
47
Burkina Faso (2003, 2010) 52

48
Prevalence
57 decreased
Congo (2005, 2011) but still a
55
severe
58 public health
Haiti (2000, 2016) 53 problem
59
Cambodia (2000, 2014) 49
61
Senegal (2005, 2017) 57
65
Benin (2001, 2017)
57
Ghana (2003, 2014)

46
48 Prevalence
worsened
62
Mali (2001, 2018) 65
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Percentage
2000-2005 2010-2018
Source: Demographic and Health Survey StatCompiler, 2019.

Note: Any anaemia is classified as <12.0 g/dl for non-pregnant women and <11.0 g/dl for pregnant women; Anaemia is considered a severe public health problem when prevalence
is ≥40.0%.24
In South Asia, where virtually no progress has been observed since 1995, one in five girls are moderately or
severely underweight
Being over or underweight (see Figure 19). But, the proportion of a smaller increase (from 15 million
can have long-term negative girls in this same age range who are to 18 million girls), nearly one in
implications for children’s health. overweight has nearly doubled since four girls between the ages of 5
For example, childhood obesity is 1995, from 9 per cent to 17 per cent and 19 in the region are currently
associated with a higher chance (see Figure 20). In absolute numbers, overweight.
of obesity, premature deaths this represents an increase of 81
from non-communicable diseases million overweight girls, globally, Long thought of as a condition of
and disability in adulthood. For from 74 million to 155 million. the wealthy, overweight is now
adolescent girls, this can negatively increasingly a condition of the poor.
impact their self-esteem, confidence Among regions, East Asia and the An increased access to ‘cheap
and learning, but also their health Pacific has experienced the largest calories’ from fatty and sugary
and that of their children, if they increase during this time, from under foods, a shift in what children are
become pregnant. 15 million overweight girls aged 5–19 eating from traditional to modern
years to 38 million, followed by sub- diets, as well as urbanization
In the past two decades, the Saharan Africa where 6 million girls and lack of physical activity
proportion of girls aged 5–19 years aged 5–19 years were overweight in are contributing to this rise in
who are moderately or severely 1995 compared to 27 million in 2016. overweight.25
underweight has remained the same While Europe and Central Asia saw
Figure 19. Percentage of children aged 5–19 years who are moderately or severely underweight, by sex and region, 1995 and 2016
40
30
20
9 9
10 7
6
3 2 3 2
6 5 5 5
0
1995 2016
2 1995 2016
2 2 1995 2016
2 1995 2016
Percentage
East Asia and the Pacific Europe and Central Asia Latin
Latin America and the Caribbean
Caribbean Middle East and North Africa
40
33
30 28
20
21 16
20 14 12
10
10
8 9 8
1 1
5
0
1995 2016 0 1995 2016 1995 2016
2016 1995 2016
North America South Asia Sub-Saharan Africa Global
Girls Boys
Source: NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC), based on Worldwide trends in body mass index, underweight, overweight and obesity from 1975 to 2016: a pooled analysis of
2,416 population-based measurement studies in 128.9 million children, adolescents, and adults. The Lancet 2017, 390 (10113): 2627–2642.
Note: Moderate or severe underweight refers to percentage of children aged 5–19 years with BMI < −2 SD below the median according to the WHO child growth standards.
Globally, the proportion of girls aged 5–19 years who are overweight has nearly doubled since 1995
Figure 20. Percentage of children aged 5–19 years who are overweight, by sex and region, 1995 and 2016
50
40
31 31
30 27 28
20
20 18 24 18
18
18 16
10 14
7
0
1995 2016 1995 2016 1995 2016 1995 2016
Percentage
East Asia and the Pacific Europe and Central Asia Latin America and the Caribbean Middle East and North Africa
50
43
40
32 39
30
20
19
15
8 9 17
10
7
5
2 7 8
2
0
1995 2016 1995 2016 1995 2016 1995 2016
North America South Asia Sub-Saharan Africa Global
Girls Boys
Source: NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC), based on Worldwide trends in body mass index, underweight, overweight and obesity from 1975 to 2016: a pooled analysis of 2,416
population-based measurement studies in 128.9 million children, adolescents, and adults. The Lancet 2017, 390 (10113): 2627–2642.
Note: Overweight refers to the percentage of children aged 5–19 years with BMI > 1 SD above the median according to the WHO child growth standards.
The adolescent birth rate has declined globally but remains high in sub-Saharan Africa
Pregnancy during adolescence Africa experienced a 22 per cent

can have a number of negative decline in the adolescent birth rate
consequences for the health and during this period, it continues to
well-being of girls. Globally, maternal have the highest rate of any region
conditions, such as haemorrhage, globally, at 103 births per 1,000
sepsis and obstructed labour, are adolescent girls. This means that for
the leading cause of mortality every 100 adolescent girls aged 15–
among adolescent girls between 19 years, 10 give birth. In countries
the ages of 15 and 19.26 Unintended where early marriage or union is
adolescent pregnancies, especially prevalent, adolescent fertility rates
those outside of marriage, can also are often higher.
bring upon stigma, social isolation,
school dropouts, forced marriage, Girls’ secondary education is a
and in some cases, violence and powerful deterrent to becoming
suicide. pregnant in adolescence. In all In my opinion, now is the time
sub-Saharan African countries with to complete our studies to
Over the past 25 years, the available data, early childbearing
succeed in the future,
adolescent birth rate has declined is higher among adolescent girls
not to get pregnant early.”
from 60 births per 1,000 girls with no education or only primary
aged 15–19 years 9 to 44 births, education. In half of these countries,
Cristina, age 16,
worldwide (see Figure 21). But the adolescent birth rate is more
from Timor-Leste, who
in East Asia and the Pacific, than double among less educated advocates to end child marriage
adolescent childbearing has slightly girls (see Figure 22). Comprehensive and teen pregnancy in her
increased, from 21 to 25 births per sexuality education, as well as community
1,000 girls aged 15-19. South Asia access to adolescent-friendly health
has made the most progress in information and facilities, including
reducing early childbearing since confidential services on sexual and
1995, with the adolescent birth rate reproductive health, free of shame
dropping from 82 to 26 births per and stigma, also help reduce early
1,000 girls. Although sub-Saharan pregnancy.
Figure 21. Adolescent birth rate, by region, 1995–2020
140
132
Number of annual births per 1,000 adolescent girls aged 15–19 years
Sub-Saharan Africa
120
Latin America and
103 the Caribbean
100
86 Global
80 Middle East
82 and North Africa
60 63
60 South Asia
48
East Asia
44
40 47 40 and the Pacific
29
26 North America
25
20 18 Europe and
21 17
Central Asia
0
1995–2000 2000–2005 2005–2010 2010–2015 2015–2020
Source: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, World Population Prospects: The 2019 Revision.
Early childbearing is more common among the least educated

Figure 22. Adolescent birth rate, by level of education and country, sub-Saharan Africa, 2013–2018*
250
Number of annual births per 1,000 adolescent girls aged 15–19 years
227 225
212
202
196 193 191
200 188 186 185 184 184
172 170
163
148 147
150 140 139 139 134
130
123
115 113
123 100
113 115 117
100
108 106 89
101 100 104
90
84 83
70 68 69 45
50 61 60 60 62 62
51 56 56
48
41
35
22 24
0
United Republic
Angola
Mozambique
Zambia
Chad
Mali
Nigeria
Madagascar
Zimbabwe
of the Congo
Sierra Leone
Liberia
of Tanzania
Burkina Faso
Malawi
Uganda
Kenya
Guinea
Namibia
Benin
Gambia
Togo
Lesotho
Ghana
Senegal
South Africa
Ethiopia
Burundi
Rwanda
Democratic Republic
No education or primary Secondary or higher
Source: UNICEF analysis based on Demographic and Health Survey Statcompiler data, 2019.
Note: *Data refer to the most recent year available during the period specified in the chart title.
What a boy can do, a girl can

do too, right? We have the same
rights and responsibilities.
I want to graduate and become
one of the best female football
players in the world!”
Martine, age 16, from Benin
Too few adolescent girls are receiving essential maternal health care
Receiving the appropriate number of adolescent childbearing, only Yet, nearly one in four births
of antenatal care visits and one in two girls do (see Figure among adolescent mothers aged
delivering in health facilities is 23). Further, progress in the region 15–19 years worldwide are not
essential for pregnant women and over the past 20 years to improve attended by skilled health personnel,
girls.27 Because most pregnant adolescent girls’ access to antenatal putting the lives of these young
adolescent girls are experiencing care has been slow and unsteady. mothers and their newborns at risk.
their first pregnancy, their need
for careful monitoring and quality A critical strategy for improving This is more grave in some countries
care is acute. Yet, under one in two maternal and newborn survival is such as South Sudan and Chad,
pregnant adolescent girls in South ensuring that every baby is delivered where almost three in four adolescent
Asia receive at least four antenatal with the assistance of a skilled birth mothers aged 15–19 years are not
care visits. In sub-Saharan Africa, attendant, which generally means a attended by a skilled health attendant
the region with the highest burden medical doctor, nurse or midwife. (see Figure 24).
Figure 23. Percentage of adolescent girls aged 15–19 years attended by any provider at least four times during pregnancy (ANC4), 2013–2018*
Source: UNICEF’s SOWC

2019 - data analyzed by
International Center for
Equity in Health, Federal
University of Pelotas,
Brazil, based on DHS,
MICS and other national
surveys, 2019.
Note: *Data refer to the
most recent year available
during the period specified
in the chart title. Regional
estimates represent data
from countries representing
at least 50 per cent of the
regional population. Data
coverage was insufficient to
calculate regional estimates
South Asia for East Asia and the
49% Pacific, Europe and Central
Asia, Middle East and North
Africa, Latin America and
Sub-Saharan the Caribbean and North
Global Africa America. The boundaries
shown and the designations
56% 50%
used on this map do not
imply official endorsement
or acceptance by the United
Nations.
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Figure 24. Percentage of births among adolescent mothers aged 15–19 years attended by skilled heath personnel (typically a doctor, nurse or
midwife), by country, 2013–2018*
Source: Joint UNICEF/

WHO SBA database, based
on DHS, MICS and other
national surveys as well
as national administrative
data, 2019.
Note: *Data refer to the
most recent year available
during the period specified
in the chart title.
Regional estimates
represent data from
countries representing at
Middle East least 50 per cent of the
and North Africa regional population. Data
88% South Asia
coverage was insufficient
to calculate regional
78% estimates for East Asia
and the Pacific, Europe and
Central Asia, Latin America
and the Caribbean, and
Sub-Saharan
Global North America. The
Africa
76% boundaries shown and
61% the designations used
on this map do not imply
official endorsement or
acceptance by the United
Nations.
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
While adolescent girls’ access to family planning has increased over the past 25 years, many girls’ needs
remain unmet
For many adolescent girls, Yet, 4 in 10 adolescent girls aged

pregnancies are neither planned 15–19 years who want to avoid
nor wanted. Girls face barriers pregnancy are currently not
to accessing and using effective using a modern method
contraceptives, including cost,
stigma, lack of access to accurate Wide variation is observed across
and relevant information, fear of side regions. South Asia, sub-Saharan
effects and limited decision-making Africa and the Middle East and North
autonomy. However, adolescent girls Africa have all observed steady
do make decisions about their health increases in adolescent girls’ demand
when they have the support, tools for family planning satisfied by modern
and resources to do so. methods over the past 25 years. Still,
fewer than one in two adolescent
The proportion of adolescent girls girls in these regions have their
aged 15–19 years whose needs for demand satisfied compared to around
family planning were satisfied by three in four girls in Latin America
modern methods rose from 36 per and the Caribbean, and Europe and
cent to 60 per cent between 1995 Central Asia, and 88 per cent of girls
and 2020. in North America (see Figure 25).
Figure 25. Percentage of adolescent girls aged 15–19 years who have their need for family planning satisfied with modern methods, by region,
1995–2020
100
Source: Aggregates
calculated by United Nations,
88 Department of Economic
and Social Affairs, Population
Division from survey
data compiled in World
80 76 Contraceptive Use 2019 (POP/
DB/CP/Rev2019).
66 74 Note: Modern methods of
63 contraception include female
60 58 and male sterilization, the

intrauterine device (IUD),
60 the implant, injectables, oral
Percentage
48 46 contraceptive pills, male and
44 46 female condoms, vaginal

barrier methods (including the
diaphragm, cervical cap and
40
36 43 spermicidal foam, jelly, cream
and sponge), lactational
31 amenorrhea method (LAM),
emergency contraception and
23 other modern methods not
20 reported separately (e.g., the
contraceptive patch or vaginal
18 ring).
0
1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020
Global Latin America and the Caribbean South Asia

East Asia and the Pacific Middle East and North Africa Sub-Saharan Africa
Europe and Central Asia North America
Globally, adolescent girls continue to bear the brunt of the HIV epidemic
Historically, in the first decade of Figure 26. Estimated number of adolescents aged 10–19 years living with HIV, by sex, 1995–2018
childhood, few gender disparities 1,600,000
Girls
in the HIV epidemic have been Boys
1,400,000
observed. It is during adolescence
that disparities begin to emerge, 1,20,0000
influenced by a wide range of 1,000,000
gender inequalities. These include 800,000
early and forced marriage, gender-

600,000
based violence, unequal access to
services and information, including 400,000
sexual health knowledge, and 200,000
a lack of negotiating power and 0
economic autonomy. 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Source: UNAIDS estimates, 2019.

Globally, 970,000 adolescent girls
aged 10–19 years are living with
HIV today compared to 740,000 in Figure 27. Estimated number of annual new HIV infections among adolescents aged 10–19 years,
1995, a 31 per cent increase (see by sex, 1995–2018
Figure 26).
600,000
Girls
Boys
Worldwide, the number of 500,000
new HIV infections among

adolescent girls has halved 400,000
since 1995, but adolescent girls

still account for nearly three 300,000
in four new infections among

200,000
adolescents (see Figure 27).
100,000
Further, although the number
of HIV-related deaths among 0
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
adolescent girls has declined
globally since 2009, more than 300 Source: UNAIDS estimates, 2019.
adolescent girls continue to die

every week (see Figure 28).
Figure 28. Estimated number of annual AIDS-related deaths among adolescents aged 10-19
In sub-Saharan Africa, where years, by sex, 1995–2018
four times as many adolescent 40,000

Girls
girls are newly infected with HIV Boys
35,000
than adolescent boys, only 1 in
3 adolescent girls aged 15–19 30,000
years with multiple partners use 25,000
condoms; less than than a third

20,000
have comprehensive knowledge of
HIV. Even fewer (15 per cent) have 15,000
been tested for HIV in the past 12

10,000
months and received the results.28
5,000
0
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Source: UNAIDS estimates, 2019.

Prioritizing actions with girls
Girls lives have been steadily Girls – especially adolescent and unintended pregnancies. And, too
improving for the past 25 years since marginalized girls – are far from few are getting the proper nutrition
the adoption of the Beijing Platform being free of all discrimination and far they need to live long and healthy
for Action. Fewer are getting married from enjoying their full rights. lives.
or becoming mothers, and more
are in school and literate – acquiring Violence, which should never occur, While the Beijing Platform of Action
key foundational skills for lifelong is still experienced by too many brought about improvements for
success. girls. No girl should be subject to girls’ lives, the world has changed
child marriage, FGM, sexual violence significantly since 1995. The rapid
But, it is clear that gaps remain in or abuse in any place. Good health expansion of digital technology
achieving the commitments set out and well-being are the foundation of and internet connectivity now
in the Beijing Platform. The world an empowered girl. When girls are offer children and young people
has seen great improvement in healthy they can support themselves, unlimited opportunities for learning,
terms of girls’ access to primary resilient families and healthier communicating and free expression
and secondary education, but girls future generations. Yet, girls today – which can be a game-changer for
from the poorest households and still face challenges receiving the helping them fulfil their potential.
those who are on the move or live health services and information they However, girls are not benefiting
in conflict and fragile settings have need to protect themselves against equally from this expansion, as
not benefited from this progress. sexually transmitted infections or fewer have access to technology like
Prioritizing actions with girls 37
mobile phones; when they do have Second, more targeted Increasing investments in the
access, resources and applications investment in adolescent girls, production and intersectional
are not designed with girls in mind. as a unique group with interlinked analysis of high quality, timely,
As a result, girls are falling behind vulnerabilities, opportunities and sex- and age-disaggregated data for
on acquiring the digital and social perspectives, is needed. children and adolescents, including
entrepreneurship skills needed to adolescents aged 10–14 years,
compete in the labour force or start This includes scaling up investments particularly in areas where data
their own business in the future. in girls’ programming models that are limited -such as gender-based
will accelerate progress aligned to violence, twenty-first century skills
Today, adolescent girls and young today’s reality, including in developing acquisition, adolescent nutrition
women also are leading and adolescent girls’ education and skills and mental health – is needed to
organizing global movements like for the Fourth Industrial Revolution; drive evidence-informed policy
“Fridays for the Future” for tackling ending gender-based violence, child and programme decisions for
climate change, and the “#MeToo marriage and FGM and ensuring adolescent girls and to further
movement” against sexual violence girls have accurate, timely and accountability.
and harassment, to call action to respectful health information and
where action is needed and show the services. Synergies must be built Additionally, to ensure all girls live
power behind girls as changemakers. and partnerships expanded between fulfilled lives, data must make
Girls’ voices are rising. Now, the adolescent girls’ skills development marginalized girls visible. This
global community needs to listen and and women’s economic participation includes girls living with disabilities,
develop the solutions with girls at to address persistent gender divides, in rural areas or in the poorest
the centre so all girls, including those in areas such as STEM. households, from ethnic minorities
most marginalized, can move from and indigenous groups, in fragile
dreaming to achieving. Finally, accountability for and conflict settings and those who
commitments to girls cannot may be marginalized due to sexual
First, the global community must be achieved without stronger orientation or gender identity.
look to girls. investment in data.
Girls are rights holders, and

equal partners in the fight for
gender equality. They represent
a tremendous engine for
transformational change towards
gender equality. They deserve the
full support of the global community
to be empowered to successfully
transition to adulthood with their
rights intact, able to make their
own choices and with the social
and personal assets acquired to live
fulfilled lives.
This requires expanding opportunities

for girls to be the changemakers,
actively engaging their voices and
opinions in their communities
and political processes about any
decision that relates to their bodies,
education, careers and future. All
actions should place girls’ voices at
the centre – no decisions for girls,
without girls.
Endnotes
1. United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, World Population Prospects: The 2019 Revision.
2. OECD, SIGI 2019 Global Report: Transforming Challenges into Opportunities, Social Institutions and Gender Index, Country
Profiles, OECD Publishing, Paris, 2019.
3. OECD, Aid to Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment: An overview, OECD DAC Network On Gender Equality, 2018.
4. Wodon, Quentin T., et al., ‘Missed Opportunities: The high cost of not educating girls’, The Cost of Not Educating Girls Series,
World Bank Group, Washington, D.C., 2018.
5. Global Education Monitoring Report Team, Global Education Monitoring Report: Gender Review, UNESCO, Paris, 2018.
6. OECD, PISA 2018 Results (Volume II): Where all students can succeed, PISA, OECD Publishing, Paris, 2019.
7. Household chores may be considered hazardous, that is, potentially harmful to children’s physical, social, psychological or
educational development, when they are performed at least 21 hours per week. See: Dayıoğlu, Meltem, ‘Impact of Unpaid
Household Services on the Measurement of Child Labour’, MICS Methodological Papers, no. 2, Statistics and Monitoring
Section, Division of Policy and Strategy, United Nations Children’s Fund, New York, 2013.
8. Beghini, Valentina, Umberto Cattaneo and Emanuela Pozzan, A Quantum Leap for Gender Equality: A better future of work for all,
International Labour Organization, Geneva, 2019.
9. International Labour Organization estimates, 2019.
10. UNODC, Global Report on Trafficking in Persons, United Nations, 2018.
11. Guilmoto, Christophe Z., ‘The Sex Ratio Transition in Asia’, Population and Development Review, vol. 35, no. 3, 2009, pp. 519–549.
12. United Nations Children’s Fund, For Every Child, Every Right: The Convention on the Rights of the Child at a crossroads, UNICEF,
New York, 2019.
13. UN Women, Progress of the World’s Women 2019–2020: Families in a changing world, UN Women, New York, 2019.
14. United Nations Children’s Fund, Female Genital Mutilation: A New Generation Calls for Ending an Old Practice, UNICEF, New
York, 2020.
15. UNICEF global databases, 2019, based on DHS and MICS, 2005–2018.
16. United Nations Children’s Fund, A Familiar Face: Violence in the lives of children and adolescents, UNICEF, New York, 2017.
17. UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Joint Child Malnutrition Estimates Expanded Database: Stunting, March 2019, New York; UNICEF/
WHO/World Bank Joint Child Malnutrition Estimates Expanded Database: Wasting, March 2019, New York; UNICEF/WHO/ World
Bank Joint Child Malnutrition Estimates Expanded Database: Overweight, March 2019, New York.
18. Kapungu, Chisina, et al., ‘Gendered Influences on Adolescent Mental Health in Low-income and Middle-income Countries:
Recommendations from an Expert Convening’, The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, vol. 2, no. 2, 1 February 2018, pp. 85-86.
19. World Health Organization, Global Health Estimates 2015: Deaths by cause, age, sex, by country and by region, 2000–2015,
WHO, Geneva, 2016.
20. United Nations Population Fund, Adolescent Girls in Disaster and Conflict: Interventions for Improving Access to Sexual and
Reproductive Health Services, UNFPA, New York, 2016.
21. United Nations Children’s Fund, The State of the World’s Children 2019. Children, Food and Nutrition: Growing well in a changing
world, UNICEF, New York, 2019.
22. Ibid.
23. Ibid.
24. World Health Organization, Worldwide Prevalence of Anaemia 1993–2005: WHO global database on anaemia, edited by Bruno de
Benoist et al., WHO, Geneva, 2008.
25. UNICEF, The State of the World’s Children 2019.
26. WHO, Global Health Estimates 2015.
27. The World Health Organization recommends a minimum of eight antenatal visits to reduce perinatal mortality and improve
women’s and adolescent girls’ experience of care. However, global, regional and comparable country-reported data are only
available for the previous recommendation, which was a minimum of four visits.
28. UNICEF global databases, 2019, based on nationally representative population-based surveys, including MICS, DHS and
AIS, 2012–2018.
Photography credits
Cover photo: © UNICEF/UN015766/Phelps Page 23: © Plan International

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Page 6–7: © UNICEF/UN0317935/Frank Dejongh Page 25: © Plan International
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Page 9: © Plan International Page 29: © UNICEF/UN0343180/Pazos
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Page 14: © UNICEF/UN0145554/Schermbrucker Page 32: © Plan International
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Foreword 1

A New Era for Girls

Editing: Naomi Lindt

© United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), March 2020

Taking stock Nearly 64 million girls were born

Henrietta H. Fore Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka Anne-Birgitte Albrectsen

I am glad to be a girl because

Zaharah, age 16,

Girls are a unique group requiring focused commitments

The global community has good Likewise, programmes and

My family’s situation and the

Timotea, age 14, from Guatemala

Education empowers girls

are out of school today in the 250

Number (in millions)

region, 2 million more girls of lower

of school today (see Figure 2). This 150

Gender disparities in the number

Globally, in 1998, there were 45

more girls of secondary school 40

opposite is true: There are 97

disadvantaged at the primary level, 0

of this age out of school worldwide. East Asia

Added to this, global progress in

Figure 3. Net enrolment rate, by sex and education level, 1998–2018

Primary school age

Secondary school age

Total Girls Boys

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics, September 2019.

in South Asia. During this same

enrolment rose from 57 per cent 20 18

Saharan Africa, only 34 per cent

of girls of secondary school age

1999 (see Figure 4).

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), September 2019.

reverse is true. Only 38 per cent of 10

girls in South Asia and 29 per cent of 0

Lower secondary age

Upper secondary age

Lower secondary age

Upper secondary age

Lower secondary age

Upper secondary age

Lower secondary age

Upper secondary age

Lower secondary age

Upper secondary age

Lower secondary age

Upper secondary age

only 8 per cent and 2 per cent of

cent of the global illiterate youth 70

population today compared to 61

disparity in youth literacy rates, just World

and young women are literate today Female Male

Assessing the relative achievements gender differences in educational

Girls (percentage) Girls (percentage)

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, 2019.

women’s and girls’ work. In Burundi

times more likely than boys of Nepal

and boys – and are not always State of Palestine

build social networks and focus Lao People's Democratic Republic

responsibility for these activities Trinidad and Tobago

Yasmira, a youth advocate, from Colombia