Global Girlhood Report 2020: How COVID-19 Is Putting Progress in Peril

THE GLOBAL GIRLHOOD REPORT 2020

How COVID-19 is putting progress in peril Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. Around the world, we work every day to give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. When crisis strikes, and children are most vulnerable, we are always among the first to respond and the last to leave. We ensure children’s unique needs are met and their voices are heard. We deliver lasting results for millions of children, including those hardest to reach.

We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming their lives and the future we share.

A note on the term ‘girls’ This report uses the term ‘girl’ throughout to include children under 18 years who identify as girls and those who were assigned female sex at birth. The quantitative data in this report is based on sex rather than gender disaggregation, so the terms ‘girl’ and ‘boy’ will usually refer to children’s sex without knowledge of their gender identity due to a lack of gender-disaggregated data and data on intersex children and adults globally. Children of all sexes and genders will identify with some of the experiences described in this report. The focus and terminology used is not intended to exclude or deny those experiences, but to contribute to understandings of gender inequality for all children, through examination of patterns and experiences shared based on sex and gender.

Acknowledgements This report was written by Gabrielle Szabo and Jess Edwards, with contributions and recommendations from girl advisers: Fernanda (in consultation with other members of adolescent network, RedPazMx), Krisha, Maya and Abena. We are also grateful to the many other girls who have shared experiences featured throughout the report and given permission to use their images. Thank you to Chiara Orlassino for leading on data analysis and COVID-19 research, and to Oliver Fiala for his guidance and projections. The report has benefited greatly from the expertise of colleagues across different thematic areas working for Save the Children’s country, member and regional offices.

Some names in this report have been changed to protect identities.

Published by Save the Children St Vincent House 30 Orange Street London WC2H 7HH UK savethechildren.net

First published 2020

This publication may be used free of charge for the purposes of advocacy, campaigning, education and research, provided that the source is acknowledged in full.

Cover photo: Saada, age ten, goes to a girls' group at her school in Harar, Ethiopia. The group raises awareness in their community about issues girls face, including female genital mutilation, child marriage and feminine hygiene. (Photo: Hanna Adcock/Save the Children)

Typeset by GrasshopperDesign.net Contents

Executive summary ii

1 Girls’ right to survive and thrive 1

2 Girls’ right to learn and to economic justice 5

3 Girls’ right to bodily autonomy and to be protected from child marriage and other forms of gender-based violence 13

4 Next steps on the road to Generation Equality: Building back stronger with girls 31 Recommendations 33

Endnotes 36

Salsa, 10, right, plays with a friend after school in Sulawesi, Indonesia. Salsa’s home was destroyed by an earthquake. She and her family have been living in a temporary shelter made of plastic sheets. PHOTO: JIRO OSE/SAVE THE CHILDREN Executive summary

2020 was supposed to be a once-in-a-generation opportunity for women and girls. The year when governments, businesses, organisations and individuals who believe in equal treatment for all people were going to develop a five-year plan for how to work together to accelerate progress for gender equality, in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Then COVID-19 struck. Now, 2020 risks being a year of irreversible setbacks and lost progress for girls. Unless the world acts fast and decisively, the impact on girls’ futures – and on all our futures – will be devastating.

Even before the COVID-19 crisis hit, progress for increasing across the world,1 it is estimated that girls on some issues was under threat. While girls’ 9.7 million children may never return to school health, nutrition and access to education have post‑COVID.2 And with the number of children improved over the last 25 years, even before the living in poverty estimated to climb by around pandemic hit, progress to end child marriage and 100 million,3 for girls today, gender equality feels reduce adolescent pregnancy had slowed to a further from reach than ever.4 halt. Now, with reports of gender-based violence

Peer educator and campaigner against child marriage, Jasmin, 19 (pictured centre), with the group she set up in her village in Sylhet, Bangladesh. PHOTO: TOM MERILION/SAVE THE CHILDREN THE MERILION/SAVE TOM PHOTO:

ii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY iii 7,000 53,000 118,000 181,000 138,000 260,000 282,000 1,041,000 Additional girls risk at of adolescent pregnancy 1 year 72,000 367,000 158,000 956,000 186,000 450,000 305,000 5 years marriages is expected in South Asia, followed and Central Africaby West and LatinAmerica and the Caribbean. The highest number of girls affected by the increasing risk of adolescent pregnancy to likely are be in East and Southern and CentralAfrica, Africa, by West followed and Latin America and the Caribbean. drive positive change and promote gender equality equality gender promote and change positive drive and peace into that the message future. Today, remains billion 1.3 girls decisive: the are world’s essential in building a stronger and more just future. Girls helping are support each other and their the impact Now, communities through COVID-19. of the pandemic means they more critical even are in shaping the Generation Equality agenda. Decision-makers today must act to protect a generation of girls from the worst impacts of And they must work with girls toCOVID-19. shape both immediate responses and long-term reforms – thatso girls able are to realise their rights and have opportunities to pursue the futures they choose. . 37,200 61,000 31,600 14,400 73,400 90,000 191,200 498,000 2,490,000 Additional girls risk at of child marriage 1 year The greatest number of child * † Latin America and the Caribbean Middle East and North Africa South Asia and CentralWest Africa East and Southern Africa Europe and Central Asia World East Asia and the Pacific Region Note: Estimates are the upper limits of a range. They are, nevertheless, likely to be underestimates. A dramatic in surge child marriage and adolescent pregnancy is anticipated, with up to an additional 2.5 million girls at risk of child marriage five years over adolescent and pregnancies expected to rise by up to 1 million in 2020, as result a of the economic impacts of the crisis. COVID-19 COVID-19 IS EXPOSING AND THECOVID-19 EXACERBATING IMPACTS OF GENDER INEQUALITY Excluding high-income Excluding countries Follow this link to see our complete methodological note † * That Declaration and Platform Action, for agreed 25 years was ago, the first international document to recognise the challenges and rights abuses faced as asby well “the her unique girl child”, potential to The impact of COVID-19 on girls’ futuresThe impact and of COVID-19 dreams of achieving gender equality within their lifetimes depends the on how chooses world to Decisionsact about now. to how respond to the pandemic lasting will have consequences. Champions genderfor equality still are set to meet to design and commit to plans at two Generation Equality Forums, global conferences scheduled now for The plans they2021. will develop set an agenda fulfillingfor promises1995 made underBeijing the Declaration and Platform Action. for iv THE GLOBAL GIRLHOOD REPORT 2020 and services between all men and women and and women and all men between services and opportunities to access in gaps closing means equality gender of goal The Goals. Development Sustainable other achieve to the helping in it’s And critical goals. these of one is girls and all women empowering and equality Gender Goals. 17 of Development alist to Sustainable by agreeing 2030 by rights their world fulfil and all over the people of lives improve to the together work to promised 2015,In all governments WHAT GOALS? SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT THE ARE are upheld. laws sure the for making responsible ones are the they and governments by are developed laws rights Human rights. their enjoy can country their in sure all people making for are responsible themselves Governments by law. guaranteed and governments by to agreed are rights These them. affect that decisions in considered views have their to for children, and, equally treated be to violence, from live free to education, an get to healthy, be to right the include These potential. achieve and safe their be life, live ahealthy to needs and has person every that freedoms are the rights Human HUMAN RIGHTS THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS • • boys and girls, including those with disabilities. with those including girls, and boys left behind. is make sure one to no seek and laws rights human other in gaps address peoples indigenous and disabilities with people women, for children, treaties The rights. their out set that treaties have specific peoples, indigenous and disabilities with people including groups, population Other of Discrimination against Women. Forms All Eliminate to Convention UN the under are highlighted girls and women of rights The children’sread this version – Child the of Rights the on Convention Nations United Children’s the under are recorded rights • • • include: years ten over next the targets Its

health and rights health forms of gender-based violence gender-based of forms other and mutilation genital female marriage, re im en eq eq cognising the value of unpaid work. work. value unpaid of the cognising ding harmful traditional practices like child uitable access to education to access uitable reproductive and sexual to access uitable proving women’s political participation 5

. 6

WHAT’S DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS REPORT?

This report describes how girls’ lives have improved since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action was agreed. And it looks at the threat that

the COVID-19 crisis now poses to that progress. CHILDREN THE HYAMS/SAVE JONATHAN PHOTO: It is written both for policy-makers and for adolescent girls and other adolescents who are engaged in advocating for gender equality. It includes key statistics, definitions of important terms, multimedia content, girls’ stories, examples of girl-led advocacy and art created by girls. Girls were included in the writing and planning process. Members of a girls’ advisory group have advised on what should be included and contributed written content for each chapter.*

25 YEARS OF PROGRESS, IN PERIL Gerald and Xyril from the Philippines. Their family home Great progress has been made with and for was destroyed girls since countries promised to work toward by a typhoon. gender equality in 1995. Girls born today are twice as likely to survive beyond the age of five as girls in their mothers’ generation, born 25 years ago. COVID-19 is putting hard-won progress They are more likely to have the food they need to for girls at risk and exacerbating existing grow, learn, survive and thrive. The gender equality inequalities. Given that young children are less gap in access to education has almost closed. Before likely to experience the most severe symptoms COVID-19, the number of girls engaged in child of COVID-19, the worst health impacts of the labour was shrinking, though only half as fast as the pandemic for girls might not result from infection number of boys. 78.6 million child marriages with the virus. Instead, the greatest impacts on have been prevented by progress to end the girls of the COVID-19 crisis are likely to be losing practice over the last 25 years.† access to other health services, increasing poverty, food insecurity, losing access to education and But today that progress is in peril. And not being exposed to violence. Estimates suggest that just because of the COVID-19 crisis. Even 130 million more people could be left without before the pandemic, rates of child marriage enough food in 2020 as a result of the pandemic.7 and adolescent pregnancy were flatlining. Many of them will be girls, even more so since in Just two of the countries that collect data on child some households girls will be more likely to go marriage were on track to end child marriage by without the food they need than men and boys.8 2030 for girls in the poorest households and those 130 million girls were out of school before the living in remote areas. And there are a lot of places pandemic hit. Now 91% of children who were in where data is not collected. As a result, many girls school have had their schools closed. Experience who have been married or who are at risk of child shows that girls are much less likely to return once marriage are uncounted. they are taken out of school.9

* The girls’ advisory group included girls from four regions: East and Southern Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East and Eastern Europe and North America. Unfortunately COVID-19 containment measures meant that girl representatives from the other two regions referred to in the report – Asia and the Pacific and West and Central Africa – could not be contacted for input but statements from girls in those regions, collected through other work with Save the Children, have been included. † This calculation is based on the reduction in the rate of child marriage since 1995. See methodological note for further detail.

v vi THE GLOBAL GIRLHOOD REPORT 2020 face sexual exploitation. sexual face to meet basic needs. exploitation sexual of incidents describe already sincehumanitarian settings pandemic the began for sexual purposes; this includes profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the exploitation of another as well as personal personal as well as definition sexualanother Children gratification.of the Save exploitation the from politically or socially monetarily, profiting includes this power, trust or purposes; sexual for differential vulnerability, of aposition of abuse the is exploitation child. Sexual the of treatment harmful and cruel will increase. will families their and provide for themselves help to work to children on pressure 2020, in poverty into fall to 90–117With estimated children more million ‡ months, 47 million women and girls will lose access lose access will girls 47 million and women months, average COVID-19 six reaches lockdown period the if that estimated is It 2030. by target Goal Development Sustainable agreed globally the meet to track women’s off on and rights girls’ and attacks organised increasingly from risk at already was rights and health reproductive and sexual to access guarantee to Progress marriage. of child risk at less not more, are girls 30years, almost in time first the for that suggest Estimates insecurity. economic and food and pregnancy, adolescent violence, of risks growing closures, school to aresponse as marriage child of risk the COVID-19 increasing is home. the outside are or working sick fall who members for family and home-schooling need who for siblings responsibilities caring take on Child exploitation refers to the use of children for someone else’s advantage, gratification or profit often resulting in unjust, unjust, in resulting often profit or gratification advantage, else’s someone for children of use the to refers exploitation Child PHOTO: HANNA ADCOCK/SAVE THE CHILDREN of the COVID-19 crisis. COVID-19 the of aresult as school on out missed have boys and girls billion 1.6 UK. the from five, age Lexi-Mae, 10 Girls are already more likely to likely more to are already Girls 11 Girls are also more likely to likely more to are also Girls ‡ Reports on conditions in in conditions on Reports . history. of course the change to allies their and girls for year even critical an more 2020 made has COVID-19 The crisis girls. for progress of ageneration protect to late too not is It the next ten years. ten the next girls) in among (primarily FGM of cases 2 million additional an and 2030 by progress in reduction aone-third in result to are expected helplines, and like shelters girls, and for women services to access and violence gender-based reduce to efforts COVID-19 to crises. and closures interruptions school with associated home, the outside violence lockdown; increased by and exacerbated violence, family domestic and violence partner intimate exploitation; sexual (FGM); mutilation genital female and like marriage child practices harmful including worldwide, increase to expected also is violence Gender-based babies. and girls to harm reduce to essential services health reproductive and sexual to access reduce funds redirected and COVID-19 as lockdown measures particularly girls, high be will 7 million pregnancies. unintended to modern contraception, resulting in an additional The UN Secretary-General has called called has Secretary-General UN The ‑ ri sk pregnancies among adolescent adolescent among pregnancies sk 13

12 Many of these these of Many EXECUTIVE SUMMARY vii

PHOTO: ROBERT MCKECHNIE/ SAVE THE CHILDREN AUSTRALIA ; . . 15 fill this critical data ‡ , and support already † sed violence,sed including marriage. child ba ‑ unt girl every – with data improved d childd marriage vest in girls not repackaged, with now new, En UN Secretary-General’s global ceasefire on domestic violence; and continue to implement transformative programming to address the root causes of gender-based violence. married girls to realise their rights – through law reform; multisectoral national action plans; and working with communities to build support that norms cause gender harmful change to gender gap in accountability to girls. In investments the to prevent worst outcomes of girls, for and to enableCOVID-19 progress and lasting change. Co collection to put the girls who been have pushed furthest behind first, particularly in humanitarian contexts. This includes disaggregating sex, by age-groupdata disability and intersectional gender on building and conducting analysis; and ensuring existing databases on child marriage, including child marriage in humanitarian contexts

3. For moreFor detailed recommendations, 33 see page 4. 5. recognise that * : That starts work with the the way world 14 se girls’ voices by supporting their right t to address immediate and ongoing child protection workers and those addressing services’; ‘essential provide violence gender-based strengthen protective systems; act on the risks gender-based of violence Ac Rai to safe and meaningful participation in all decision-makingpublic the COVID-19 through response, and recovery beyond. This includes putting adolescent girls at the centre of the decision- Equality Generation and Beijing+25 making and accountability processes.

Details are set out in our Discussion Paper: Addressing Data Gaps on Early, Child and Forced Marriage in Humanitarian Settings Detailed recommendations are set out in the following brief: "Working together to end child marriage: How governments can end Detailed recommendations for national governments, UN agencies, donors, humanitarian actors and the media are set out in our brief Beyond the Shadow Pandemic: Protecting a generation of girls from gender-based violence through COVID-19 to recovery. ‡ † * Vive with her dad, Paternosi, in Fiji. Vive’s mum was killed when a village. their hit cyclone 2. RECOMMENDATIONS Save the Children calls on governments to work with girls and civil society to: 1. for an immediate forms all on ‘ceasefire’ of violence against women and girls during the COVID-19 crisis,countries and far more so than 140 have agreed. responds to the pandemic and will continue with the commitments through make we the Generation Equality process and as accelerate progress we to deliverthe Sustainable Development Goals and gender equality by 2030. child marriage by accelerating coordinated action across education, health, protection and other sectors" PHOTO: JORDI MATAS/SAVE THE CHILDREN in Za’atari refugee camp, Jordan. Hiba (left), and Rama, age 17, 14, outside their home We willWe fight the world to stop it,” declare rappers “We are children whostand against early marriage. 1 Girls’ right to survive and thrive

Over a generation, there has been real progress in girls’ survival. A girl born at the beginning of 2020 – before COVID-19 was declared a pandemic – was more than two times more likely to survive to the age of five than girls born in her mother’s generation, 25 years ago. And she’s 50% less likely to be too small for her age as a result of malnutrition.

But progress in girls’ health and nutrition has not from viral infection but from loss of access to been uneven. Hundreds of thousands of girls health services as a result of the pandemic, along die each year because they do not receive the with increasing poverty, food insecurity and famine. same healthcare as boys. Signs of malnutrition in adolescent girls are actually increasing. And for the world to meet the Sustainable Development GIRLS’ HEALTH Goal (SDG) target on stunting by 2030, progress in tackling it for children in the poorest households Child survival rates have improved for all will need to increase ten-fold.16 children but girls living in poor households and in remote areas are still far more likely to die Now, the COVID-19 crisis is a new threat to girls’ very young than girls from wealthier families futures. Given that younger children have tended to and those living in cities. In Ethiopia for example, be spared the most severe symptoms of COVID-19, a girl growing up in the largely rural Afar region the worst health impacts for girls are likely to result is at more than two times greater risk of dying

FIGURE 1. THE LIKELIHOOD OF A GIRL DYING BEFORE HER FIFTH BIRTHDAY HAS MORE THAN HALVED IN THE LAST 25 YEARS

125

100

75 Boys

50 Global average

25 SDG Target

Girls Under-five mortality (per1,000 live births) 0 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030

Save the Children estimates based on UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation and on Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS). Sample based on 75 countries (covering 67% of population), trends and projections for sex groups based on subset of 75 countries (covering 67% of global population).

1 2 THE GLOBAL GIRLHOOD REPORT 2020 in almost all countries are higher for boys than for than for boys are higher all countries almost in rates mortality globally, girls and for boys similar been has mortality child reduce to progress While favoured. are often scarce is food boys when – malnourished be to boys are likely more than wasting. and stunting experience likely to as twice nearly and underweight be likely more to times three are almost they disabilities, without children with excluded from nutrition services. nutrition from excluded are often disabilities with children addition, In like wheelchairs. equipment, supportive or healthcare get to disabilities with boys likely than less are disabilities with Girls disabilities. without those than have healthcare lower to access often disabilities with children limited, is data While system. health the by treated poorly or healthcare denied be to are likely more disabilities with People discrimination. face severe and also groups disadvantage Other giving birth. after visits health recommended minimum have likely the to as half and Tigray, in women than attendant birth a skilled have likely to less times are three birth giving women Afar, In 67% Tigray. in children of with compared 14% vaccinations, just basic get Afar in children of Tigray region; in girl a than birthday fifth her before be taken to a health facility. ahealth to taken be likely are to even less disabilities with girls mean can inequalities gender and disabilities with children for healthcare seeking from parents discourage also can a priority – is often overlooked. That includes includes overlooked. That often a priority – is as identify RedPazMx in people young other and Fernanda Children’s –which family. health to right care for to order in school to going stop to having families, Mexican frommigrant those particularly girls, and practices; dowry measure) and protective as a seen (sometimes traffickers drug to including marriage, child girls; of harassment the describes She peace. of aculture through children’s promote to works rights that RedPazMx called adolescents of anetwork of a member is she where Mexico, Sinaloa, in lives Fernanda 21,22 Among children with disabilities, girls girls disabilities, with children Among “Having poor mental health could lower our performance our performance could lower health poor mental “Having at school, work or any other aspect of our lives.” our lives.” of aspect other or any work school, at 19

20 Compared 18 Stigma Stigma Fernanda, 16, adviser to Save the Children, Mexico Children, the Save 16, to adviser Fernanda, rates for boys. rates are lower rates mortality girls’ healthcare, to access have similar girls and boys when that to have higher rates of suicide.” of rates have higher to tend men belief, popular to Contrary subject. the around are stereotypes of alot “There Fernanda. lives,” says adolescents’ of all areas in progress to important is health “Mental services. health mental and rights, and health reproductive and sexual adolescent comprehensive need for the pregnant again in the hope of having ason. having of hope the in again pregnant becoming of chances their increase to short breastfeeding cut likely more to appear daughters baby with mothers girl’sor pregnancy, of chances awoman reduces breastfeeding given that, is here factor discriminatory One daughters. than longer breastfed be are likely more to sons shows Africa stronger and better able to survive. to able better and stronger physically are born girls because is This girls. five. under children of prevent way to deaths effective most single Take the survival. of breastfeeding, chances their reduce and need they nutrients the to access girls’ limit also can men’s nutrition boys’ and favour that norms social harmful and Discrimination to the pandemic. the to response the of part as voices heard make their to authorities government federal with working COVID-19,Since been has RedPazMx from girls 43% more likely to die from the disease than boys. than disease the from die likely43% more to are they healthcare, to access poorer to due but, pneumonia survive to able better are physically girls for example, Asia, South In boys. as healthcare same the getting are not they because are dying girls that suggests it apopulation) in boys to girls of ratio natural the on (based expected than higher they are denied the same healthcare as boys. as healthcare same the are denied they because year each die years 0–14 aged girls 425,000 countries African in that suggests research New in breastfeeding. discrimination gender to due year each die Africa sub-Saharan in girls 43–45,000 that estimates study 27 Research from parts of India and countries in in countries and India of parts from Research 24 Where girls’ mortality rates are rates mortality girls’ Where 29

23 Studies show Studies

than the the than 28 One One 26 25

1 GIRLS’ RIGHT TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE 3

0 Boys SDG Target Global average Girls 203

Obesity in girls is 5 In the Pacific, girls are 39 40 202 As responses to address obesity

41 38 – conditions where children are 2020 37 amatically in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia r

and South-East Asia. emerge these must include responses tailored to gendered needs and risk factors. more likely tomore likely be obese than boys, with girls as young as ten being diagnosed with diabetes as a result. WHY IS NUTRITION IMPORTANT? SO Good nutrition is critical children for to grow, stay healthy, mentally develop and learn. Malnutrition not – having enough of the right food or being able to use it – is an underlying factor in of child 45% deaths. Obesity, when a child weighs too much for their height, can also be a sign of malnutrition and increases health risks in childhood and through to adulthood. too small theirfor age or height. The impact health can laston children’s the for rest of their lives. Malnutrition can lead to stunting and wasting increasing across the world, most d 5 201

0 201 34,35

5 Adolescence 200 Girls with acute 31 Malnourished girls are

33 0 200 amongyears, girls aged 15–19 32

Adolescence is also a time when the 30 995 1

10 50 20 30 40 Prevalence of stunting (%) stunting of Prevalence FIGURE 2. THE LIKELIHOOD OF A GIRL BEING STUNTED HAS ALMOST FALLEN BY 50% IN THE LAST 25 YEARS Save the Children estimates based on UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Joint Malnutrition Estimates and DHS/MICS. Sample based on 97 countries (covering of 67% population), trends and projections for sex groups based on subset of 98 countries(covering of 67% population). 15% more likely to likely birth give 15% more to malnourished babies than well-nourished adult mothers, and more likely to babies have bornwith disabilities. Improvements in early childhood survival and nutrition not been have matched by investment in reducing causes of death and girls. adolescent for disability istime a in life when puberty creates health new and nutritional needs (particularly pregnant for or breastfeeding as window’ as well ‘critical a girls), catchingfor up on growth missed out on in early childhood. GIRLS’ NUTRITION impacts of gender discrimination often become The risk sign of malnutrition) of anaemia (a clearer. increases when girls start to get periods and can result in faintness, tiredness, and poor brain and physical development. Rates of anaemia in adolescent girls rising. are complications during pregnancy and birth the are leading cause of death. anaemia twice face the risk of dying in childbirth or soon after; 4 THE GLOBAL GIRLHOOD REPORT 2020 to seek healthcare. seek to reluctance increased and Ebola than other death 0.14% for just accounted 2015–17. from spending of programming support psychosocial and health mental aid funding, of aproportion As absent. entirely or limited is services health mental to Indigenous peoples. Indigenous including groups, marginalised from children and zones conflict in for children devastating particularly is it and asked when concern a as health raise mental frequently Children child marriage; and isolation from friends. isolation and child marriage; including violence, of fear home; at stress increased closures; school –including reasons of for arange health mental their COVID-19that affecting is show already children’s of Surveys experiences in Leone, Sierra outbreak Ebola the and following during significantly rose tolls death example, For deaths. child in increases to lead will virus the to due services health of weakening and healthcare to Disruptions COVID-19. with infection of risk higher at girls put take care relatives, of to boys likelymore than are Traditional girls where roles, gender support. care and to access equal denied and behind left hardest. girls poorest the hit to likely is nutrition and health COVID-19 of to access impact on The (and girls boys) self-harm. is adolescent for death of cause leading second The pandemic is being felt – and particularly by girls. girls. by particularly –and felt being is pandemic the of impact economic the but moment the family’s take care their of for chickens mother her helping is enjoying some She public spaces. and have schools closed community her in COVID-19 of spread prevent to the measures Democratic Republic of Congo. Lockdown the of capital the Kinshasa, in lives Esther These are the girls who are already are already who girls are the These “Certain girls my age give their bodies to older men because if if older men because to bodies their give age my girls “Certain 48 they don’t they’ll go hungry.” go they’ll don’t they almost entirely due to causes of of causes to due entirely almost 49,50,51 43,44 Yet world access the around Data from March 2020 2020 fromMarch Data 46,47 42

by the end of 2020. of end the by day each starvation to due dying 12,000 people to have to go without food. without go have to to boys and men are likely more than girls households, some in since –especially affected particularly 43% more likely to die from the disease than boys. than disease the from die likely43% more to were pandemic, the before who, Asia South in girls older men to support themselves.” to men older to Esther. turn have to more,”any “Girls explains don’t they anything do confinement, of because But market. open-air big the at sold goods once neighbourhood my from parents “Many adolescent girls. (aged 15–19 adolescents in years) are among all of infections (aged years);women 15–24 80% young and girls adolescent among is infections new four HIV in one affected: disproportionately income lost due to COVID-19 to due lost income of aresult as 2020 of end the by food enough without left 130 be could that people more million already inadequate progress. to agrave threat presents COVID-19 crisis the that mean girls for nutrition poor and The poverty, between gender links inequality pneumonia. against protection provide some that those including India’s of most across facilities, for children health in drops vaccinations significant shows already deaths in 2020–21. AIDS-related additional 500,000 to lead could a six Africa, sub-Saharan in that estimates UNAIDS malnutrition. acute from suffering 10 children more million ‑ mo Esther, 16, Democratic Republic of Congo of Esther, Republic 16, Democratic nth disruption in supply of medications medications of supply in disruption nth 52 58 That fall is particularly significant for significant particularly fall is That This might mean as many as as many as mean might This 55,56 54 59 If that happens, girls will be be will girls happens, that If Girls are likely to be be are likely to Girls 60 57 – resulting in in –resulting It is estimated estimated is It 53

2 Girls’ right to learn and to economic justice

Runa, 17, is a student, an advocate for girls’ education and now, a goat farmer. Find out how farming goats has helped her to continue her education. PHOTO: TOM MERILION/SAVE THE CHILDREN THE MERILION/SAVE TOM PHOTO:

5 6 THE GLOBAL GIRLHOOD REPORT 2020 lives of the women and girls to come. to girls and women the of lives the and future economic improve makecan to its acountry investment best single the be can girls educating have that found –studies communities their and for girls critical been has progress This boys. 3 million with compared aclassroom in foot step were never age likely to school primary of girls in 1995. 60% of those children were girls. were children 1995.in those of 60% Action for Platform and Declaration Beijing the signed governments since school to access have gained 130 children than million More EDUCATIONGIRLS’ COVID-19 likely are girls least return. to the that suggests experience and past 1.6an education emergency. have billion by learners had education interrupted their Today, years. 25 past progress of the stories The world changed. everything has faces improving of beginning 2020, At the girls’ access education greatest was to one of the of exploitation. families and themselves their and are at growing support pressure to money risk earn to face many girls economic since crisis predicted, Depression Great huge additional the foot worstof children in aclassroom the not do step again who With will girls. be majority 10 the many as that as million suggests may neverestimates Experience return. have by COVID-19learners had education interrupted their and Save Children the secondary school. secondary in dramatically increase inequalities And boys. as school primary in be likely to as are girls countries of two-thirds only in figures, global promising these Sample based on 90 countries (covering 81% of population), trends and projections for sex groups based on subset of 89 countries 81% population). of (covering countries 89 of subset on based groups sex for projections and trends 81% population), of (covering countries 90 on based Sample dataset. WIDE UNESCO on based estimates Children the Save HAD ALMOST CLOSED BEFORE COVID-19 BEFORE CLOSED ALMOST HAD SCHOOL OF OUT BOYS OF GIRLS AND NUMBER THE 3. GLOBALLY,FIGURE BETWEEN GAP THE Out of school children (age 5−19 years, %) 40 30 20 10 65 0

Children with disabilities made up 15% up made of disabilities with Children 20 00

64 Before the pandemic, 9 million 9 million pandemic, the Before 200 5

201 63 0 Despite

201 5

begun to rise. to begun had girls COVID-19, out-of-school of number the to response in closures forced school before better grades than boys, than grades better getting average, on are, school in girls While out boys in the same circumstances. same the in boys school than primary of out be likely to as twice are than more and removed be school from to first the were often disasters from recovering and displaced, forcibly conflict, by affected areas in living education. a good-quality completing and learning to barriers face gender-based including through bombings, kidnapping, rape, rape, kidnapping, bombings, through including – school girls)and to access prevent and girls’ for boys normal considered is what about (ideas norms gender harmful impose to education girls’ ‑ of 2020 ‑ sch

ool children. 67 202 66 5

Despite progress, even progress, Despite 68 girls continue to to continue girls 69 203 Attacks targeting targeting Attacks SDG TargetSDG Boys average Global Girls 0 61 1.6 billion Girls Girls 2 GIRLS’ RIGHT TO LEARN AND TO ECONOMIC JUSTICE 7

72 Maya, adviser to 14, Save the Children, Jordan degree is your weapon’. Sodegree is weapon’. your empowermenthelps women’s a woman to work get and her own income, which noone can control but her.” “We have a saying here: ‘Your Girls often finishschool in earlyadolescence when they increasingly are targeted gender-based for violence (including child in and marriage) on the violence on the to way schoolcan mean distance has a significant impact on girls’ attendance – in Afghanistan, extra every mile of travel required for a girl to reach school decrease results in a 19% in attendance girls for boys. for compared with 13% SHE WAS Halaan extraordinary was girl Shy from and her away family and sealed off But she has big hopes and flowery dreams On the to school way a boy saw her He followed her going and coming back He spoke to her with the best words While she smiled and listened She didn’t know that this is a form of violence She didn’t recognise that she being was harassed And when the parents found out school. to stopped going They from her Violence 70 The risk of gender-based 71

Teachers and parents be and can Teachers supporta critical girls’ for refugee camps in education had have may children where girls and experiences terrifying different boysand face risks. “Parents teachers and need to theknow differences between deal with and themchildren Maya. says depending that,” on “We don’t go to school now,” says Maya. says “But up with I keep TV, lessons through my now,” to go school don’t “We them send and to teachers my homework my WhatsApp. pictures via of I take and home, teachers.” I miss my it second is my much and because so school I miss my Maya is a refugee from Syria and lives in the Za’atari Refugee Camp in Jordan. Girls Camp Jordan. in Refugee the in Za’atari lives Syria and Maya is a refugee from to other work, and marriage, forms of being risk child at forced of thein camp are Before to response in COVID-19. lockdown in gender-based camp The is now violence. the outbreak the of pandemic, Maya contributed the poem ‘She this report for was’ below). (see PHOTO: SHERBEL DISSI/SAVE THE CHILDREN THE DISSI/SAVE SHERBEL PHOTO: against girls in school, including sexualexploitation grades,for is widely reported. Burkina Faso has passednow laws against a person employed in the education system having sex with a child and imposing additional penalties if a girl becomes pregnant as a result. forced marriageforced and other gender-based violence by armed groups – increased from 2014–18. 8 THE GLOBAL GIRLHOOD REPORT 2020 at school. at continue to daughter for their fromparents support reduced or lower reluctance and to grades leading sometimes consistently, school attending from them prevent may products management period to access and toilets girls’ of lack when and school, way to trained teachers. properly of and teachers female of alack is there where particularly school, in discrimination in to education. access respective girls’ and for boys’ consequences ongoing –with programmes learning early in sons enrol likely more to be may Families early. start can That education. sons’ their in invest only to choosing money limited with families to lead may over girls’ value education boys’ that norms Gender Girls are likely to increase their unpaid unpaid their increase are likely to Girls 25 years. past over the education girls’ for made progress the erase to COVID-19 threatens invest in supplies. invest supplies. in to government the persuading at aimed inmanagement products a demonstration period make how reusable to girls other programme’s teach to plan clubs girls’ year, This learn. fromthe to advocates continue –can have babies had who those and are married who girls disabilities, with those –including travel cannot who girls so that schools primary their to attached government to provide distance learning the with works also programme The school. secondary to continue and school primary finish to girls these supported has programme the teaching, sensitive gender- promoting By grade. were fifth in they time the from provinces three across 1,000 girls than more of agroup with worked so. has do It can school secondary to go want to who girls that ensure to Challenge) works Education Girls the of (part STAR-G Mozambique in Programme The safely. there staying and school to getting way them of the in stands that every challenge to responds that schoolsecondary requires programming complete to chance the girls Giving TAKING TO EVERY LEARN MOZAMBIQUE IN OPPORTUNITY GIRLS 73

74 Gender norms may also result result also may norms Gender 75

of Sierra Leone. Sierra of 65% parts by some in increased which pregnancy, adolescent were to linked closely outbreak Ebola the following enrolment and attendance and Equatorial Guinea. and Equatorial Tanzania in exist still but Mozambique in lifted were recently bans Similar began. lockdowns COVID before shortly Leone Sierra in lifted only were school attending girls pregnant on Bans violence. sexual increasing of aresult was pregnancy girls dropped by one-third. by dropped girls for adolescent enrolment school Leone, Sierra in village affected heavily one in school: to return Westin 2014–15, in not did Africa children many return to school. to return will they likely that less make and it available, is it where education, for distance away time take will This virus. the fall ill with members family where and siblings younger of supervision support to chores care household work and 78 76 Part of the increase in adolescent adolescent in increase the of Part Following the Ebola outbreak outbreak Ebola the Following 79

Falls in girls’ school school girls’ in Falls CLAUDIA DICKENS/SAVE THE CHILDREN THE DICKENS/SAVE CLAUDIA 2 GIRLS’ RIGHT TO LEARN AND TO ECONOMIC JUSTICE 9

86 Work does Work 84 83 include slavery and sexual 85 irls G -8.4%

ys zardous work Bo -18.7% not have tonot have be paid to beconsidered child labour and some forms of child labour are more harmful than others. The ‘worst forms of child labour’ exploitation. ‘Hazardous child labour’ is work that to is harm “likely the health, safety or morals of because children” of what it or the it is way carriedinvolves out. WHAT IS CHILD LABOUR?WHAT Not that work all children do is considered child labour that should be stopped – safe work in small amounts can be a valuable experience children for example, for (see, stories and below). and above Runa Kisha’s Child labour is defined work as that is “mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful to or children” interferesthem with preventing by schooling from goingto school, forcing them to leave school early or to combine school with long work”. or hard “excessively Ha mothers who continue to play a caring rather role than going into paid work. Chores not are counted As a result, labour’. as ‘child boys’ time is better protected than girls’ time.

irls -6.0% G More 80

ild labour ty’ leavesty’ Ch Boys -12.3% du ‑

-2 -4 -6 -8

-14 -12 -16 -18 -10 -20 Children in child labour and hazardous work (%) work hazardous and labour child in Children unpaid work, particularly 82,83 Research shows that doing more than 81 FIGURE THE 4. NUMBER BEFORE COVID-19, OF GIRLS IN CHILD LABOUR FALLING WAS HALF OF THE PROGRESS RATE BUT FOR AT BOYS Source: International Labor Office – Global Estimates of Child Labour: Results and trends, 2012–2016. 21 hours of chores21 a week negatively impacts a education. of children who spendchild’s Two-thirds this much time on chores of girls. are Two-thirds children who do more than 45 hours of chores a week also are girls. These differences reflect gender norms that expect boys to earn money to support their families own as adults and assume that they physically are tougher than women and girls and therefore better able to endure hazardous work. Girls on the other hand often less have freedom of movement and expectedare to be good carers and tobecome Children losing their connection to education,school due to COVID-19 closures, increasing poverty are the growing and risk of child labour and exploitation. Before crisis, 64 millionthe girls COVID-19 and 88 million Their experiencesboys in child were labour. differed in some ways to according gender. GIRLS’ AND WORK CHILD LABOUR girls less even time studies for and recreational activities. boys engaged are in child labour and they more are thanlikely girls to be employed in hazardous child such as working withlabour, dangerous tools and substances or in dangerous places, underground like mines. Girls to likely are work more hours and tomore likely do paid and chores work. and care This ‘double 10 THE GLOBAL GIRLHOOD REPORT 2020 have recorded been by organisations implementing girls and children women, of abuse and exploitation being married to fighters. through including exploitation, and abuse sexual and for work, domestic for fighting, groups armed by used or recruited have been to were reported things they need to survive. to need they things for exchange in exploitation sexual are experiencing girls that have shown Lebanon in now living refugees fromSyrian Reports exploitation. and violence of forms other and trafficking of risk the to them expose can family and friends from separated being safety, for seeking work or migrating for girls And checked by authorities. easily are not exploitation and face abuse of situations these in girls risks the aresult, As visible. are less they workwhere live-in and domestic do are likely to they home, family their work outside girls when move. Even the on are who girls and disabilities with girls settings, conflict in living girls –particularly exploitation sexual and labour, child of trafficking like forms worst the of types certain of risk face higher also Girls likely. labour. in child increase are increases Further an to led already has COVID-19The crisis labour at an early age, including for use in begging. in for use including age, early an at labour involved child in are often disabilities with Children survivors. faced by risks other and stigma to due under-reported are particularly violence sexual to related violations and verify, and collect to difficult is settings conflict in children against violations on data underestimate: adrastic be to prepare students for the careers they want. want. they careers for the students prepare help to lessons workreadiness provides school Krisha’s industries. face male-dominated in still girls and women that barriers the sees but friend a with company astart-up founded recently She entrepreneur. apassionate is and USA the in school secondary mathematics) and engineering (science, technology, aSTEM attends Krisha 91 Alongside this, reports of increased sexual sexual increased of reports this, Alongside “Being respected and represented as a female isn’t a privilege, aprivilege, afemale isn’t as and represented “Being respected a need to ‘authorise’.” needto a no one should feel that right inherent anit’s undeniably 87 In 2018, around 800 girls 800 girls around 2018, In 88 This number is likely is number This 90 89

numbers collected before the outbreak. the before collected numbers from rose 238% by money earn to were working who and school were attending not who years 12–17 aged girls of proportion the epidemic, Ebola the by were disrupted highly that villages In “STEM isn’t just for guys!” she says. she for guys!” just “STEM isn’t STEM. in girls and women supporting and work, for don’teducation girls sacrifice so that hours work of number aminimum implementing leave entitlements, maternity gap, pay the closing priorities as identifies She lives. girls’ women’s improving to critical as and conditions work and training education, sees Krisha groups. these against violence end to programmes rise in child labour. child in rise point percentage a0.7 least at to leads typically poverty in rise point a1percentage that shows education, reducing their connection to school and and school to connection their reducing education, COVID-19 during for distance time have will less track. on back education girls’ get to critical be will so do to safe is it when enrolment increasing and COVID-19 the crisis through education their can continue girls Ensuring stay in school. in stay to girls supporting and women, and girls against of including risk violence reducing the inequalities, gender addressing in effective be can they analysis gender on based is transfers cash of delivery the humanitarian crises and climate Where change. pandemics, potential as –such future the in shocks financial to resilience increase workand to children for pressure reduce way to time), important are an over benefits child universal to lead could which children, with to families (payments benefits child including payments, other and families to transfers Cash children. on poverty increasing of impacts worst prevent to the critical be will for themselves provide to money have enough families ensuring findings during the 2014–15 the outbreak. Ebola during findings Krisha, 16, adviser to Save the Children, USA USA Children, the Save 16, to adviser Krisha, Girls who take on additional care work additional take on who Girls 92,93 A number of studies reported similar similar reported studies of Anumber 99 98 Strengthening economies and economies Strengthening

97 Research Research 94,95,96

100 2 the likelihood that they ever return. Experience Creative solutions and investment in mobile GIRLS’ RIGHT TO LEARN AND TO ECONOMIC JUSTICE TO AND ECONOMIC TO LEARN RIGHT GIRLS’ during the Ebola crisis showed that even a one-hour technology and online safety are needed to address daily class was enough to reduce drop-out rates.101 this gap. Digital access for girls with disabilities Distance learning however must take into account needs to be part of this.103 In some contexts, social the gender digital-divide: in low- and middle-income stigma leads parents to limit girls’ access to phones countries, access to mobile internet was 20% lower and the internet, and may also make girls reluctant for women and girls than for men and boys in 2019. to be seen using these technologies.104 Engagement In fragile contexts the gap is even bigger.102 with girls, families and communities is needed to challenge this stigma and change attitudes. PHOTO: UK STORIES TEAM/SAVE THE CHILDREN THE TEAM/SAVE STORIES UK PHOTO: Masie, 15, and Tina, 17, are the only female welders in their town in South Sudan. They plan to start a welding business together while they finish their studies.

11 PHOTO: HANNA ADCOCK/SAVE THE CHILDREN to read at school in Cambodia. in school at read to learning is seven, age Monyrath, 3 Girls’ right to bodily autonomy and to be protected from child marriage and other forms of gender-based violence

Gender-based violence was a global pandemic long before COVID-19. And even before the virus, progress to end child marriage and reduce adolescent pregnancy had flatlined. Now, at a time when the rights of women and girls face new and increasingly organised opposition across the world, the pandemic is expected to reduce access to contraception and drive an increase in adolescent pregnancy and gender-based violence against girls. Save the Children’s estimates suggest that 2020 could mark the beginning of a dramatic upsurge in child marriage, halting and reversing a downward trend going back at least 30 years. This is likely to be followed by an increase in adolescent pregnancies – at a time when health systems are least prepared.

CHILD MARRIAGE

The progress made to reduce child marriage However, progress has not been the same for over the past 25 years has prevented an all groups. As Figure 5 shows, poor and rural girls estimated 78.6 million child marriages. That’s are still far more likely to be married than wealthier six child marriages stopped every minute. girls and those living in cities. And in some countries,

FIGURE 5. EVEN BEFORE THE COVID-19 CRISIS, PROGRESS TO END CHILD MARRIAGE HAD COME TO A HALT

Poorest girls 30 Rural girls Global average

before age (%) 18 20 Urban girls

10 Richest girls Women aged 20−24 who were married SDG Target 0 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030

Save the Children estimates based on DHS/MICS. Sample based on 87 countries (covering 61% of population), trends and projections for wealth and urban/rural groups based on subset of 86 countries (covering 58% of population).

13 14 THE GLOBAL GIRLHOOD REPORT 2020 end child marriage for all groups of girls; and very very and girls; of for all groups marriage child end to were course on progress their tracking countries COVID-19, low- middle-income and the of none of girls in the poorest households. poorest the in girls of 77% with compared birthday 18th their before marry incomes highest the with families in living girls 10% of for example, Nigeria, In are huge. gaps the * UNICEF global databases, 2019 databases, global UNICEF (2019) violence: UNICEF gender-based ongoing with associated risks lifelong and deadly sometimes the experience to likely more are married are who girls know we boys, married on research limited is there While achild. as married be to aboy than likely more times It is estimated that 115 million men and boys alive today were married before turning 18. That means a girl is more than six six than more is agirl means That 18. turning before married were today alive boys and men 115 that million estimated is It way of gender equality for girls. equality way gender of the in stand that abuses rights the of many ending to critical is practice the Ending discrimination. and inequality gender of driver and aresult and violence gender-based of aform is marriage Child LIVES GIRLS’ IMPROVING FOR POINT ENTRY ACRITICAL MARRIAGE: CHILD • • that: norms Social Risk factor pregnancy Adolescent Risk factor or high risk of exposure of risk high or violence Gender-based Risk factor

de su pport child marriage child pport ny girls’ choices girls’ ny Poverty and food insecurity Risk factor Disability Risk factor school of out Being Risk factor 109 105 , (based on DHS, MICS and other national surveys, 2007–2017) surveys, national other and MICS DHS, on , (based Even before before Even * the global reduction in child marriage. child in reduction global the of for proportion alarge responsible is population, its size of the given India, in progress This married. poor, getting rich, girls rural and urban between gap close the to track on was which India, was exception One gaps. few inequality were closing Social isolation. Social Consequence out of school. of out are married are who girls 96% of short. cut Education Consequence personal independence. and financial of Lack Consequence • • • adolescent pregnancy including: and violence gender-based with associated impacts health of risk Increased Consequence among married girls. are pregnancies adolescent of 90% pregnancies. frequent more and Early Consequence husbands andhusbands in-laws. from violence gender-based to exposure Ongoing Consequence

dep d mater 106 isability

ression and suicide. nal mortality 107 108 3 GIRLS’ RIGHT TO BODILY AUTONOMY AND TO BE PROTECTED FROM CHILD MARRIAGE AND OTHER FORMS OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE 15

111 Research by Save the Children and the 110 Abena, adviser to 16, Save the Children, Ethiopia World Bank shows thatWorld two in three child marriages happen in countries is already where the 18 legal marriage. for age Even in countries that passed have laws against child marriage, laws may not be the same across the country or religious and customary laws may be different or not apply to marriage-like informal unions. violation of a girl’s rightsviolation as of a girl’s long as she is under 18.” Abena says her experience in the children’s parliament has given her skills in asserting herself, negotiating, findingsolutions to problems and making decisions. And it was those skills that her gave the confidence refuseto the marriage proposal. of the risks of child marriage, the programme included street drama written and performed by children and public hearings led by a community- based team of journalists, clubs and children’s village child protection committees. The evaluation found that the programme’s helpline and Facebook page lodging for complaints with police and the District Child marriages. Board had stoppedWelfare 115 Priests been have mobilised to identify and refuse proposed child marriages. The first person to use the eight-year-old an was hotline boy worried about child marriage in his community. well-to-do Abena man”). persuaded them that she should continue her education. “My answer was she explains. “I compromise can never ‘No way’,” my education, and the marriage request itself is a parents, schools,indigenous knowledge and skills to end bad attitudes towards marriage girls child ending – including and female genital mutilation.” “We should boldly show the role of faith-based organisations, During the past countries five 15 years, The project brought together service providers, police, religious leaders, girls, the media and awareness raise in communitiescommunities. To close partnershipclose with government local on justice, education and child protection. Evaluation of the programme in nine districts found that between child marriage declined by and 2017, 2015 points to 26%. – from 37% 11 percentage poor and rural communities. Save the In 2015, Children Nepal developed a response combining working programming, in and policy, advocacy Child marriage has been illegal in Nepal since 1963 but the practice has continued, particularly among LAWS ARE NOT ENOUGH ARE NOT LAWS – THE BENEFITS OF ENGAGING NEPAL IN COMMUNITIES her on work this issue, parents Abena’s still wanted educatedher “an and to get (to married at 16 Abena has with worked communities local to stop girls being made to marry older men. In spite of Abena is in grade 11 and promotes children’s and promotesAbena children’s is 11 in grade parliamentrights as spokesperson a children’s in Ethiopia. Girls up make more than half of the members parliament, of the children’s which works Self-Help closely with the People’s local Development Organisation and the Office of Children andWomen, Youth. Legal protections against child marriage are increasing with countries more and more setting the minimum age for marriage at 18 years. have improved legal improved protectionshave against child marriage, though loopholes allowing child like marriage with parental or judicial consent remain many countries,in high-income including countries. Legal protections are important but laws Before the COVID-19 pandemic, around alone are not enough. Ending child marriage 12 million girls were marrying each year and and realising the rights of already married girls 2 million of those girls married before their requires an approach that brings together all the 15th birthday. Now, the risks have increased. partners who are in a position to address the As a result of the COVID-19 crisis, Save the different causes and effects of child marriage. This Children estimates that the number of girls includes communities, families, girls, and a wide at risk of child marriage could increase by range of government ministries and departments, up to 2.5 million. This projection is based on our such as education, health, child protection, gender analysis of the economic impact of the COVID-19 equality, youth empowerment and justice, as well crisis.114 Our child marriage projection is likely as those that control financing. In other words, a an underestimate because it does not take into multisectoral response. Governments of countries account other risk factors that the pandemic is that make up the African Union have developed likely to exacerbate, including interruptions to a Common Position as part of their Campaign to pre-COVID-19 prevention efforts. However, we THE GLOBAL GIRLHOOD REPORT 2020 REPORT GIRLHOOD GLOBAL THE End Child Marriage and committed to introduce consider poverty a useful indicator for risk of child and fund multisectoral national action plans.112 This marriage given higher rates of marriage among girls campaign has accelerated change in the region in poor households and the association of poverty and provides a strong example for other regions with other risk factors – such as food insecurity, to follow.113 the likelihood of being out of school, lack of access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, and exposure to other forms of violence.115

AS A RESULT OF THE COVID-19 CRISIS, CHILD MARRIAGES ARE EXPECTED TO RISE

Before COVID-19, around 12 million girls crisis expected in 2020. The greatest number married each year. Now, an additional 1.8 to of child marriages is expected in South Asia, 2.5 million more girls could be at risk of followed by West and Central Africa and Latin child marriage over the next five years as a America and the Caribbean. result of the economic impacts of the COVID-19

Region† Girls at risk of Additional girls at risk of child marriage child marriage before COVID-19 1 year 5 years

East Asia and the Pacific 5,104,000 61,000 305,000

East and Southern Africa 8,630,000 31,600 158,000

Europe and Central Asia 1,427,000 37,200 186,000

Latin America and the Caribbean 7,029,000 73,400 367,000

Middle East and North Africa 2,954,000 14,400 72,000

South Asia 23,196,000 191,200 956,000

West and Central Africa 10,023,000 90,000 450,000

World 58,363,000 498,000 2,490,000

Note: Estimates are the upper limits of a range. They are, nevertheless, likely to be underestimates.

16 3 GIRLS’ RIGHT TO BODILY AUTONOMY AND TO BE PROTECTED FROM CHILD MARRIAGE AND OTHER FORMS OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE 17 122 Measuring 123 to bring together A locally-based 120 set disasters increasing are the on Data on child marriage is usually ‑ Increasing extreme weather conditions extreme conditions Increasing weather 121 child marriage in humanitarian settings is crucial to ensuring girls at risk of child marriage or who alreadyare married not are forgotten during a humanitarian response. And it is essential to measure progress achieving towards the SDGs and the Beijing Platform Action. for organisation, Girl Rights, Child reported more villages child marriagesthan 124 across 12 in the Mossurize district in the aftermath of Cyclone Idai, noting that “this is just the tip of the iceberg” and that in remote communities highereven rates of child marriage were likely. as a result of climate change in countries like Mozambique increase risk factors child for marriage – including food and economic insecurity, school closures and exposure to violence. Climate change is increasingly recognised as an urgent threat to efforts to end child marriage gender and achieve equality. information on child marriage in humanitarian settings. Nevertheless, more research, data collection and sharing is needed – with funding and support from governments and the United Nations (UN). Save the Children has conducted a studythis on how might be achieved, including datahow collection processes already use we in humanitarian contexts help. might There is gap a data that affects the countries where action is most urgently needed. only collected four to every ten years, but in fast-changing contexts, humanitarian data needs to be more available quickly to prevent marriages married sure and make girls the have services they need. The Human Rights Council has created a web portal Climate change andincreased slow- and sudden risk child of marriage. cyclones Following Idai and Kenneth, which hit Mozambique in 2019, an increase in child marriage was reported in affected areas, including marriagesof girls and14. as young as 13 For While 117 116 half the families are 118

119 Nine of the ten countries with the eakdown of law and order increases the ilies regular lose income and food sources % of Syrian refugee women % of Palestinian refugee women cess to sexual and reproductive health % of Palestinian refugee women hools to more likely are close risk of gender-based violence ac sc fam a br services can be more limited. from Syria 40 25 12 from Lebanon.

• unable to meet their minimum survival needs theand 73% of refugees and older lack aged 15 legal residency. Child marriage is a form of violence but in crisis situations, parents may see marriage as a coping mechanism to protect their daughters against unwanted advances and sexual abuse. • • CHILD MARRIAGE, CONFLICT AND CLIMATE CHANGE CLIMATE AND CONFLICT MARRIAGE, CHILD The girls who the face greatest risk of child marriage are those affected by humanitarian crises – suchas war, drought, flooding, disease earthquakes and outbreaks. highest rates of child marriage considered are states.fragile Risk factors child for marriage often increase in humanitarian contexts: • • • Child marriage among Syrian refugee girls by 7 percentagerose points between 2017 and 2018, suggesting that the risks associated with child marriage based growing are on the in. living are girls refugee circumstances gathering data in these contexts is difficult and at times dangerous, there is body a growing of evidence to increases show inrates of child marriage during humanitarian crises. Data from Lebanon shows that child marriage was even populations refugee among increasing The child marriage rate across before COVID-19. Lebanon is 6%, than lower the the for average region. But far higher proportions of refugee aged 20–24)women (now in the country were married as children: • example, among the 1.5 million Syrian refugees that Lebanon hosts, 18 THE GLOBAL GIRLHOOD REPORT 2020 With the help of the ‘Give us a hand’ campaign campaign ahand’ ‘Give us the of help the With law. the toward progress changing important have made rights for girls’ advocates and Girls sub levels in to –similar birthday 18th their 37% and before 15th their birthday before unions 12% marriage-like in or are married girls of aunion. in or 15–19 aged are married girls years 27% of where Republic Dominican the in girls for priority a high is unlawful childunions and marriage child Making country. their in for girls health and recreation protection, education, in inequalities reduce to done be call to for more to leaders political with met Republic Dominican the in Cristobel San of city the in advocates 2019, in Girl the of Day girl International On FLY DREAMS THEIR LET AND MARRIAGE TO CHILD END LEADERS VOTE ADVOCATES GIRL REPUBLIC WITH POLITICAL DOMINICAN THE IN financial support. lack and marriage of outside achild having for face discrimination will have babies, who those particularly unions, in girls that risk the increases This marriage. than benefits fewer legal and social with come they leave legally, to for agirl easier be may relationships formal less these While “child marriage”. like sound not do are given they names many the because partly reported, not often but international legal of definition child marriage the under are recognised relationships These pregnancy. adolescent of rates high to contributing and man older involving amuch often marriage, child as risks same the carry can which relationship, amarriage-like in living or unions early informal in girls miss to likely are also recorded rates The reductions. significant seen not has that region only the is it Caribbean, the and America Latin in are lower marriage child of rates Although LATININ AMERICA UNIONS CHILD MARRIAGE: ISN’T MARRIAGE CHILD WHEN ‑ Saha ran Africa. 124 127

age of marriage has been raised to 16 to raised for girls. been has marriage of age minimum the and unlawful marriage make child to apetition have signed people 90,000 ( girls from rich families and from poor families. frompoor and rich families girls from between rates pregnancy adolescent in gap the 52% Just are closing areas. rural and urban in living girls between rates pregnancy adolescent in gap the are closing 49% countries of Only households. wealthier in growing up girls than childhood in pregnancy experience likely more to 3.7 times are girls poorest The services. and rights health reproductive and sexual to access least the with girls growing up in poor families and in remote areas areas remote in and families poor in growing up girls among are highest pregnancy adolescent of Rates girls. of groups different between inequalities stark with rising been have already regions some before evenCOVID-19. flatlined, had in Rates pregnancy adolescent reduce to progress Globally, ADOLESCENT PREGNANCY programming. existing to interruptions of aresult is this part In predicted. previously than occur could 13 million marriages child more 2030, and 2020 between that, suggest Fund Longer-term estimates from Population the UN on video. event are captured the from Highlights together. fly them letting and aeroplanes paper on dreams their writing the by event finished Girls decisions. influence to affected most girls the allowing of importance the and election next the at for office running politicians among change for the show support vote to a mock stage event to Girl the of Day International the used They unlawful. marriage child of all forms makes won’t law advocates the girl till stop But will end their education early. early. education their end will girls more millions And girls. to harm psychological and mortality maternal pregnancies, adolescent in increase an to lead will It scale. acatastrophic on rights girls’ of aviolation is marriages in increase watch the campaign video campaign the watch ) more than than ) more 125 This This 126 128

PHOTO: JONAS GRATZER/SAVE THE CHILDREN THE GRATZER/SAVE JONAS PHOTO:

Mariam became pregnant with her son when she was just 12. She dropped out of school and lost confidence. Now 17, Mariam has enrolled in school again, with support from other mums in the Reducing Teenage Pregnancies project. “The project helped and encouraged me to look ahead positively,” says Mariam.

The steepest increases in adolescent pregnancy countries have maintained steadily high rates – have been in Latin America, where rates have been including Bangladesh (with the highest national rising for girls living in rural and urban areas and in average), Nepal and Lao PDR. the poorest households since 1995. For girls in the In some countries, girls in the poorest households richest households there has been no progress in are far more likely to become pregnant during that time in reducing rates of adolescent pregnancy adolescence than those in the richest households. and rates are beginning to rise for those girls as In Vietnam adolescent pregnancy among girls in well. Inequalities in adolescent pregnancy rates the richest households is just over 1% compared among girls living in the richest and poorest with 20% in the poorest households,130 in Lao PDR households will continue to grow. 3.7% of the girls in the richest homes experience Rates of adolescent pregnancy are again adolescent pregnancy compared to almost rising in Asia and the Pacific (excluding 30% in the poorest.131 The highest rate of high‑income countries) after increases adolescent pregnancy in the Asia and Pacific slowed for a few years.129 Increases are steepest region is among girls in the poorest households in Cambodia, Fiji, Malaysia and Mongolia. Other of Bangladesh (41%).132

FIGURE 6. EVEN BEFORE COVID-19, PROGRESS TO REDUCE ADOLESCENT PREGNANCY WAS FLATLINING

20 Poorest girls 15 Global average (15−19 years) (%)(15−19 10

Richest girls 5 Prevalence of pregnancy among adolescents 0 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030

Save the Children estimates based on DHS/MICS. Sample based on 68 countries (covering 52% of population).

19 20 THE GLOBAL GIRLHOOD REPORT 2020 three children. children. three 19. is friend her have husband her and She Now education. her on out missing school, leave to had she married, got friend her When because she got got married They pregnant.” 14 also was old. husband years “Her Zahra. says 14, 2015”, was in she back when married got who mine of aclose friend about panel the told “I community. her in marriage child of impact the about UN the to speak to selected was she 2020, In Indonesia. Jakarta, in slum urban an in growing up activist ayouth is Zahra expected in 2020. 2020. in COVID-19 of expected impacts economic the of aresult as pregnancy adolescent of face risk will girls 1 million than more that estimates Children the Save TO RISE EXPECTED IS PREGNANCY ADOLESCENT * These estimates are the upper limits of a range. They are, nevertheless, likely to be underestimates. be to likely nevertheless, are, They arange. of limits upper the are estimates These Region East Asia and the Pacific the and Asia East Latin America and the Caribbean Caribbean the and America Latin Asia Central and Europe Africa Southern and East World Africa West Central and Asia South Africa North and East Middle “Every child, including every girl, has the right to an education an education to right the has girl, child, including“Every every and a good future.” future.” and agood pregnancy before COVID-19 adolescent of at risk Girls 32,403,000 8,666,000 8,666,000 1,659,000 6,957,000 4,865,000 2,409,000 2,409,000 7,233,000 614,000 the Caribbean. the Caribbean. and America Latin and Africa West Central and followed by Africa, Southern and East in be to are likely affected girls of number highest The equality through sport. and promote continue to gender businesswoman a be to wants Zahra older is she When plane,”on a says. she flying experience first my was “It there. camp refugee a in children other with football play and with meet to Jordan to flown was and programme for Resilience aFootball of part as competition public-speaking and won asports she year this earlier different, Zahra’s quite been has life Zahra, 14, youth activist, Indonesia activist, 14, youth Zahra, adolescent pregnancy adolescent of at risk girls Additional Year 1 Year 1,041,000 282,000 260,000 138,000 181,000 118,000 53,000 7,600 *

3 GIRLS’ RIGHT TO BODILY AUTONOMY AND TO BE PROTECTED FROM CHILD MARRIAGE AND OTHER FORMS OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE 21 Harmful Harmful Isatu, Sierra 18, Leone

133 immoral or that oppose the use of contraception or other sexual and reproductive health services. Some laws and regulations girls prevent from reproductive and sexual comprehensive accessing health services and contraceptive products without from a parentapproval or husband. This increases the risk of pregnancies and unsafe abortions, lives. girls’ endangering theirGirls’ over sexual power and reproductive lives may be limited due to lack of information, and gender-based violence, including from intimate partners and family members. And it may be undermined by social norms that encourage girls not to disagree with men, boys, or adults, or to express their sexual own choices. Discrimination against girls with disabilities creates multiple barriers to accessing sexual rights. and health reproductive and stereotypes can label girls with disabilities asexual or hyper-sexual, unworthy of having children or incapable of raising them. These myths used are to deny girls with disabilities, particularly girls with intellectual disabilities, the right to decisions make about their health reproductive through including being to forced usecontraception or sterilisation. These girls may also be denied equal recognition before the law and the ability to fightfor their “Within one month I started cutting children’s clothes,” she says. “Some people amazed were at my progress. They maybe said I had done this before. But I was just determined. The next month I started cutting and sewing my for child. I cutNow clothes and sew other for people.” Isatu sells now the clothes she makes and reinvests the money to buy material and contribute toa scheme set up to support young mothers in her community. Gains had been 134

While the number of 139 138 rter. Yet even before the even pandemic, Yet 135 persisted I would succeed.” believed and While pregnancy among girls girls among pregnancy While qua ‑ “Some usedpeople to say that it… but I would never make I Since 2000, access to modern 136 and rates rising were of the in seven 137 Soon after Isatu she became heard a mother, that Save the Children working were with adolescents with children to help them study The programme also or train a career. for provides life skills training and information about sexual andreproductive health. Isatu thatsaid she wanted to do tailoring. IsatuGrowing up, is a young mother and tailor. the have financialshe support didn’t to stay in school. When the carer she was living with threw her out in and with she had to move her boyfriend, she became pregnant birth and gave at 16. greatest in countries in sub-Saharan Africa, and access has increased by more than 30% in eight African countries. 18 countries18 with the highest rates of adolescent the in pregnancy world. children born 1,000 every for adult women in Latin America and the Caribbean in 30 halved years, among adolescent girls in the region that rate only one by reduced four in 10 adolescentfour in girls 10 who wanted to avoid pregnancy not using were a modern form of contraception. Before COVID-19, access to sexualBefore and COVID-19, reproductive improving, health rights and was but progress slower for was adolescent girls than women. contraception among women and girls aged aged girls and women among contraception 15–49 pregnancy delay or years to prevent wanting has increased in region. every aged 10–14 yearsaged 10–14 was falling in most countries, around 777,000 giving were girls birth under 15 year, each Girls everywhere continue to barriers face to accessing sexual and reproductive health services and intentional denial of their rights. These include social taboos and harmful gender norms that treat girls who not are married and sexualhave relationships or become pregnant as 22 THE GLOBAL GIRLHOOD REPORT 2020 of girls aged 15–19 aged girls of years. killer biggest are the complications Pregnancy and leave lifelong with them disabilities. girls kill to continues rights and health reproductive and sexual to access of Lack abuse. and misinformation of risk to exposed girls these leaving them, to denied or disabilities, with girls to inaccessible often is health reproductive and sexual about Information rights. and reproductive health services. An estimated estimated An services. health reproductive and sexual comprehensive access to unable girls among abortions unsafe of consequences well as as births, and pregnancies difficult of aresult as deaths and Development in 1994. in Development and Population on Conference International the at agreed definition the . See interventions health reproductive and sexual package of essential rights reproductive health and sexual infirmity”.requires this Achieving or dysfunction disease, of absence the merely not reproduction, and sexuality of aspects all to relation in well-being social and mental emotional, physical, of as state “a defined Goals. Development Sustainable the under including health, reproductive and sexual of standard attainable highest the to right every girls’ delivering to have committed governments All REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH? WHAT AND SEXUAL GOOD IS and reproductive health and rights. rights. and health reproductive and sexual on information gives and prevent violence, help to aims norms, gender harmful addresses that app develop agame to adolescents with worked has Children the Save country, the in violenceadolescent pregnancy and gender-based To world. of the in risks high the address adolescent mortality pregnancy and maternal of rates highest the of one has Leone Sierra STAY APANDEMIC IN HEALTHY –EVEN DOWN TECHNOLOGY TABOOS TOUSING GIRLS BREAK HELP AND 142 Sexual and reproductive health is is health reproductive and Sexual 141 This figure includes includes figure This and access to an an to access and 140

information with girls in lockdown. in girls with information share way a safe providing to pandemic, COVID-19 the during risks ongoing address to relaunched and adapted recently was app The pregnancy. adolescent of topic often-taboo the addresses and lives their in challenges realistic through teenagers takes game interactive The complications than women over women 19, than complications childbirth-related or pregnancy- to due die likely to COVID-19 crisis. the of length the on 39% depending and 8% between by increase will mortality maternal that estimated health crises, health previous in increased also has mortality Maternal pregnancies. also these increase –could marriage child of rates rising and violence, to exposure increased contraceptives, and services to access lost –including pregnancy adolescent for factors risk other as underestimate likely an is this Again, pregnancies. adolescent additional 1million to up to lead could alone 2020 during COVID-19 to due poverty increasing that estimates Children the Save girls. adolescent affect will these risk. at most the are among contexts emergency in to contraception. to access losing girls and women 47–49 million to lead could virus the by caused chains supply and services disability. and death subsequent and pregnancy adolescent increase to COVID-19 threatens and 11,000 pregnancy and abortions unsafe 2.7 million pregnancies, unintended additional 3million in result could alone services its on COVID-19 that restrictions related estimates treated. been not has births difficult and by long caused fistula obstetric because and sub alternatives. safe to access of lack to due abortions, unsafe 15–19 aged 3.9 million undergo girls years services are already being reported in India. in reported being are already services 145 More than 2 million young women in Asia Asia in women young 2million than More ‑ Saha It is estimated that disruptions to health health to disruptions that estimated is It 143 149 ran Africa are a living disability with Girls under 15more under times are Girls five and reduced visits to maternal health health maternal to visits reduced and 151 147 Marie Stopes International ‑ re lated deaths. lated 152 144 146 and girls girls and 148

Many of of Many 150 It is is It 3 GIRLS’ RIGHT TO BODILY AUTONOMY AND TO BE PROTECTED FROM CHILD MARRIAGE AND OTHER FORMS OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE 23 2

3 Ukraine

Kyrgyzstan Comoros

5 5

Gambia Burkina Faso Burkina

6 6

Cook Islands Cook Tajikistan

7 7 Cambodia

55–60% of

Palau

8 8 Salvador El Mongolia

9 9

Guatemala

10 Nigeria

Mozambique 11 11 Jamaica Philippines

12 12 Azerbaijan

Togo Nicaragua 14

Gender-based violence is a Chad 153 15 15

Even in childhood, violence is often

16 16 Vietnam

154

Honduras Egypt Republic of Moldova of Republic

17 17

Lao People’s Democratic Republic Democratic People’s Lao

Nepal

India

Peru

Turkey

18 18 18 18 Jordan

20 Senegal

used to enforce expectations girls around how and boys supposed are to behave. Witnessing gender- based violence in early childhood, including intimate While gender-based violencedisproportionately affects women and girls, it inflicts harm on individuals ages of all and genders, including girls, boys, and children of non-binary gender identities expressions. and human rightsviolation that affects women and girls regardless of their age, education, geography, disability and wealth, although some groups are tomore likely be affected and less to likely be able to access support. Girls experience violence from a young age throughoutand their lifetimes. children experienced have physical violence by the age of two.

2222 d’Ivoire Côte

Myanmar

Mali

Ghana Dominican Republic Dominican

23 23 23 23

Colombia

Kenya

2424 Angola Ethiopia

27 27

Cameroon Marshall Islands Marshall

Haiti 28 28 28 28 Malawi

29 São Tomé and Príncipe and Tomé São

Bangladesh

Afghanistan 30 30 Zambia

31 31

Sierra Leone Sierra Uganda

32 32 Zimbabwe

35 United Republic of Tanzania of Republic United 36

Liberia Central African Republic African Central

38 38

Timor-Leste

40 Burundi

41 Gabon Micronesia (Federated States of) States (Federated Micronesia

Tonga 52 Congo of Republic Democratic

56 Namibia

10 50 20 30 60 40

Girls who experience gender-based violence (%) violence gender-based experience who Girls Equatorial Guinea Equatorial FIGURE 7. GIRLSFIGURE EXPERIENCE 7. GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE – THOUGH IN COUNTRY EVERY LEVELS WIDELY OF VIOLENCE VARY Source: UNICEF global databases, based 2019, on DHS, MICS and other national surveys. Data refer to the most recent year available. Data for Côte d’Ivoire refer to currently married girls. DataEl Salvador, for Bangladesh, Jamaica, Lao People’s Cook Democratic Islands, Republic, Mongolia, Nicaragua andPalau differ from the standardEquatorial definition. Guinea Data andfor Namibia are based on 25 to unweighted 49 cases and should be interpreted with caution.Federated Data for Marshall States of Micronesia Islands, and refer Tonga to girls aged to 24 15 years and differ from the standard definition.refer toData girls for agedMozambique years. to 18 19 Data for refer Turkey to girls aged to 24 15 years. Data for Vietnam refer to girls aged to 18 24 yearsand differ from the standard definition. Despitecommitments to end violence against women and girls, violence is still used against girls because of their gender in country every in the world. The term ‘gender-based violence’ broadly refers to any act that is perpetrated against will and is based ona person’s gender norms and unequal relationships. power Itincludes threats of violence and coercion and can be physical, emotional, psychological or sexual, and can the take formof a denial of resources food or money like or of access to services healthcare like or education. Gender-based violence often occurs within families and intimate partner relationships, marriage. like Child marriage and female genital mutilation are examples of gender-based violence. GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE VIOLENCE GENDER-BASED AGAINST GIRLS 24 THE GLOBAL GIRLHOOD REPORT 2020 the child. When these young boys witness it, every it, witness boys young these When child. the on effect have will some community the in or home the in violence “Witnessing us, told girl One home. the in violence seeing of impact the about people young asked Children the Save Guinea, New Papua to experience violence in relationships as adults. as relationships in violence to experience are likely more childhood in violence experience or witness who girls And women. and girls against violence perpetrate are likely more to attitudes sexist hold who and violence childhood to exposed are who Boys violence. of acycle continue and children to harm cause also mothers), can against (usually violence family other and violence partner sexual and emotional violence against children. physical, in increase a20–32% –would to lead home at stay forcedCOVID-19 to families –with crisis the months three over following the that 2020 May in estimated was it home the in violence based gender- and abuse child between links on Based police and members of the government and and government the of members and police to spoke They adolescents. against violence to end for an advocate to together came Say’ to have Something also ‘I group adolescent the from advocates child Huanuco, of city Peruvian 2019, Girl the of Day the in International On DAY PERU IN ADOLESCENTS AGAINST ACTION OF TO VIOLENCE END 156 155 In In

violence for a apledge sign to them encouraged most of the countries that collect this data, among among data, this collect that countries the of most In 50. it’s than more contexts, other in violence; partner intimate have experienced partner, 2girls 15–19 have aged ever who a had girls 100 years every of out contexts, some In countries. between hugely range rates and boys than violence partner it’s think normal.”will they –because violent grow be will to up they time often. less far but reported, also is partnerships intimate in women and girls between Violence husband. or boyfriend former or like acurrent partner intimate an from commonly most violence, sexual other or rape (around 10) 1in experienced has 120 worldwide girls million all contexts. in violence sexual experience are likely more to far girls girls, than murdered be are likely more to boys While pandemic. But it is severely underreported. aglobal is girls adolescent against Violence Watch the video about the campaign. the about Watch video the the wider community. with messages their sharing city, the through 158 Girls are more likely to experience intimate intimate experience are likely more to Girls ‑ fr ee internet. And they marched they And internet. ee 157

PHOTO: FEDERICO OBREGON/SAVE THE CHILDREN THE OBREGON/SAVE FEDERICO PHOTO: 3 GIRLS’ RIGHT TO BODILY AUTONOMY AND TO BE PROTECTED FROM CHILD MARRIAGE AND OTHER FORMS OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE 25 Khadija, 16 Khadija, Most women 161 Maria, age from 15, Venezuela, became pregnant after she was sexually assaulted by a man she had been in a relationship with. She had to go to Colombia for medical treatment and for a safe birth. After getting counselling, Maria is feeling more positive about the future. But it’s a tough situation. Because of the crisis in Venezuela, she and her family want to stay in Colombia, but have nowhere to live.

160 countries, years half of girls over old aged 15–19 share this belief. Girls continue to experience forms of violence that male children do not. Before COVID-19, though rates of FGM among adolescent girls had decreased in the and middle- to low- 34% from 47% income countries that collect data, there still were 4 million girls a year at risk of FGM. and girls who experience FGM cut are by the age and in half of the countries 29 of 14; where FGM is When Khadija arrived alone in Egypt, she was able to access mental health and psychosocial support to help from her her experience, recover reproductive information her sexual on including healthand rights to help protect and defend herself from future violence. Khadija has now been resettlement for approved and has ambitions to pursue her dream career in a country.new

159 “I want“I to a doctor become treat and my patients for free.”

Forced to run her for life after seeing herfather murdered, Khadija is a survivor of gender-based violence. Most separated and unaccompanied children and young people, Khadija, like encounter many forms of violence on their journey of escape. Girls often are subject to harassment. or rape PHOTO: SACHA MYERS/SAVE THE CHILDREN THE MYERS/SAVE SACHA PHOTO: This violence is often underpinned by beliefs that support use of violence against women and girls. For example, evidence shows that somepeople think it is acceptable a husband for to hit his wife burning for food, arguing with him, going out without telling him, neglecting their children or refusing to sex have with him. These widely views are held in societies all by different groups of people, including girls: in many girls who had an intimate or have have partner, beenaround 1 in 5 have treated violently. 26 THE GLOBAL GIRLHOOD REPORT 2020 FGM is most commonly practised. commonly most is FGM where Africa in countries 28 including practice, the end place to in now plans and have laws FGM of rates high with countries many importantly, –though, 51 practice the against have laws just reported, is FGM where countries 92 the Of girls. adolescent and for young critical particularly harmful practice requires support for girls to to for girls support requires practice harmful Like this continues. eliminating child marriage, often practice the it, prohibiting laws despite birthday. 5th their by are cut girls of majority the common, her story here. story her Watch her tell in Ethiopia. community in her FGM stop to children’s her with club age 10,Saada, works Never in my life.” have“I never felt afraid. 162 This makes FGM prevention and support support and prevention FGM makes This 163 However, being noticed. absence recover, their or school missing without to have time girls so that FGM out carry to closures school of advantage are taking families that reported been has it 98%, at FGM of world’s the rate has highest which Somalia, In interrupts global efforts to end the practice. the end to efforts global interrupts COVID-19 as girls, exclusively affecting almost FGM, of cases additional 2million additional an now Fund expects Population Nations United The is practised. it where in communities norms social change to initiatives and it oppose 165 164

PHOTO: HANNA ADCOCK/SAVE THE CHILDREN THE ADCOCK/SAVE HANNA PHOTO: PHOTO: ESTHER RUTH MBABAZI/SAVE THE CHILDREN

The most dangerous places for girls to live are countries affected by conflict.166 87% of verified incidents of sexual violence against children affected by armed conflict are committed against girls. While collecting verified data on incidents of sexual violence is a challenge in conflict settings, and under-reporting is an issue in any context, incidents of sexual violence against people of all genders are likely drastically higher.167 Sexual violence against girls is a weapon of war used to terrorise, control and force people to leave their homes. Armed forces and armed groups may target women and girls for sexual violence and forced marriage as a ‘reward’ for fighters, as a deliberate strategy to dishonour and thus demoralise males in the local community by violating their wives and daughters, or in some contexts as a form of ethnic cleansing. Each of these aims plays on harmful gender norms and traditions that support male entitlement to women and girls as spoils of war and tie the honour of women and girls (and their families and communities) to discriminatory concepts of sexual purity.168 Sexual Rehim, aged 15, originally from the Democratic Republic of violence, including sexual exploitation as a way Congo, was captured by armed men and held captive. After for girls to avoid other risks and get the services a year Rehim managed to escape and was reunited with her family. They now live in a refugee camp in Uganda. they need, is reported on journeys and in their “Rehim hasn't disclosed that she was raped, but she has a new homes where they sometimes face further lot of pain in her abdomen and urinary problems,” says her discrimination and violence.169 mother Alauna. “She keeps everything to herself.”

VIOLENCE AGAINST GIRLS WITH DISABILITIES

Girls with disabilities are at particularly high Isolation, including through separation from risk of violence – of being neglected, abused parents, not being enrolled in school or registered (including sexual abuse and exploitation) at birth can make children with disabilities abandoned, humiliated and hidden. Girls with ‘invisible’ to child protection services and prevent disabilities are subjected to higher rates of violence being reported. Girls in institutions violence than children without disabilities and are often systematically abused and neglected, boys with disabilities.170 Research from the Pacific with girls with psychological and intellectual Islands indicates women and girls living with a disabilities facing the greatest risks in these disability are two to three times more likely to settings. Violence committed by family members be victims of physical or sexual abuse than those and caregivers is particularly prevalent. Harmful without a disability.171 Girls with disabilities are gender norms may lead to girls with disabilities also targeted with specific forms of violence, being kept in a state of greater dependency than including types of electric shock therapies, boys with disabilities. This kind of overprotection forced sterilisation and abortion. Where boys is a common form of abuse. In its worst forms are valued more highly than girls, girls with it can hinder the girl’s development and lead to disabilities are at particular risk of infanticide, conditioned dependency that can last throughout often defended as ‘mercy killings’.172 her life, denying her right to independent living.173

27 28 THE GLOBAL GIRLHOOD REPORT 2020 world. the across recorded have been children against violence and violence gender-based of reports rising COVID-19 pandemic, aglobal declared was Since increase. to continue will violence that suggest projections and world the across violence gender-based of reports increasing to led already has COVID-19The crisis rights. women’s defend to up grows she when alawyer be to wants She education. her continuing is and marrage child avoided has Rania Now parents. her to spoke and intervened organisation alocal until 14, was she when marry to forced nearly also was Rania achild. as married was who sister, older with Gaza, from 16 (left), Rania, the house since lockdown as boys. lockdown as since house the have left to likely not as were twice Lebanon in girls that found for example, Children, the Save by survey Arecent statistics. these in represented least the among be may girls adolescent that mean services, violence gender-based and protection child between fall to girls adolescent of needs for the atendency as well as own, their on house leave the to ability and phones to access girls’ adolescent on restrictions gender-based and Age- impossible. out reaching make may abuser an lockdown or with unavailable be may services circumstances many In services. support to access with survivors of experiences 174 These reports, of course, only capture the the capture only course, of reports, These 175

psychological first aid consultations by rose 62%. aid consultations first psychological for requests and 80%; were by up helplines their to calls 2020; mid-May to 33%by mid-March from increased violence gender-based to related support for demand that shows Colombia in programmes and abuse, and make up 90% of children in online online in children of 90% make and up abuse, and exploitation sexual online to vulnerable particularly learning. ina online huge increase force closures school as exploitation sexual online of risk increased facing are Children in 90% of the sites they work in. they sites the of 90% in violence gender-based in increases reported settings humanitarian in protection child and violence based gender- to UN’s response the of coordinators crisis, COVID-19 the into afew months just 2020, June In one-third reduction in progress in reduction it. tackling one-third a and violence gender-based of cases 200 million additional an predicts COVID-19 UN the crisis, the of aresult as years, ten next the Over by 65%. increased has girls and women of murder the period, same the 177 Data from Save the Children’s the fromSave Data 176 In Venezuela, over In Girls are Girls 179

178 SAVE THE CHILDREN THE SAVE

PHOTO: ALESSANDRA SANGUINETTI/ ALESSANDRA PHOTO:

3 GIRLS’ RIGHT TO BODILY AUTONOMY AND TO BE PROTECTED FROM CHILD MARRIAGE AND OTHER FORMS OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE 29 One year on, 185 This film experience about one girl’s of gender-based violence was UNDERSTANDING THE COST OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE AND FUNDING IT governments, donors andIn 2019, organisations met at a conference in Oslo, Norway, to discuss gender-based violence in settings.humanitarian governments There, made commitments to increase funding to address gender-based violence in humanitarian settings beyond the tiny 0.12% it received at the time. many governments yet are to meet their commitments. shown at theconference – the widespread use of sexual violence by armed forces against Rohingya children has been documented and verified by UNreports since 2019. 181

184 This does not 183 In March 2020, the USA’s National In March 2020, the USA’s 180 sed violence will not end when COVID-19 sed violence will not end when COVID-19 However, funding to tackle gender-based However, ba ‑ 182 account gender-based for violence funding that may be pledgedto address country- or regional- appeals,level and gender-based violencefunding is notoriously difficult to track, buteven being generous in the counting, gender-based violence updated The striking ongoing. and are gaps funding plan, released in July 2020, calls scaling for up of gender-based without violence services. a However, clear mandate and accountability across the entire humanitarian system, the gap between needs and servicesavailable is set to widen dramatically. Government action to respond to gender- based violence during has not COVID-19 yet matched talk. As early as April 2020, the UN Secretary-General a global called for ceasefire on violence against women and girls in the home during the pandemic. As part of this call, the Secretary-General made a listof recommendations to governments to prevent, respond to and limit the impact of gender-based violence as part More than of their responses to COVID-19. committed now 140 countries have to the to call action. films, photos and other materialfeaturing child abuse. sexual is under control. In December 2020, the COVID-19 response will be integrated into ongoing humanitarian response plans. Donors will need to increase investment to end violence against women and girls. Gender violence in COVID-19 responses doesviolence not in match COVID-19 these commitments. And in their national-level response plans, governmentsCOVID-19 not have fulfilled theircommitment to thecall action.to Under the first Global HumanitarianResponse just 0.58% offunding was Plan COVID-19, for proposed to tackle gender-based violence and just 6.84% of that has been funded. Centre Missing for and Exploited Children reported increase ina 106% global reports of suspected child sexual exploitation compared with March Recently, the India Child Protection2019. Fund reported increase a 95% in online searches child for sexual abuse content compared with the period immediately lockdowns. beforeCOVID-19-related PHOTO: ALLAN GICHIGI / SAVE THE CHILDREN Jacinta at her home in Turkana, Kenya. Jacinta had to have both her legs amputated as a child after she had polio and subsequent complications. 4 Next steps on the road to Generation Equality: Building back stronger with girls

The COVID-19 crisis is catastrophic for global health, economies and human rights. Ensuring that the pandemic does not set back progress for girls requires immediate action. Together we must act to protect a generation of girls from gender-based violence and support them to be able to participate safely in building back better. This work will not end with COVID-19. Increased and sustained reform and investment in girls will be needed to transform inequalities. That includes decision-makers making a commitment to be accountable to girls as equal partners in shaping their futures through the Generation Equality process and beyond.

The Beijing Declaration and Platform for aged 15–19 years.186 These are the voices Action recognised that girls face challenges that should be at the centre of conversations that adults do not. And their age gives them about gender equality. Including them in policy a unique potential to support work for peace and programme development would elevate the and development well into the future for impacts of gender inequality in decision-making and more sustainable progress. Girls are the experts accountability processes across a broad range of in their own experiences. Priorities can look quite areas, including COVID-19 response and recovery. different when their voices are listened to and Including girls’ perspectives frequently results truly heard. According to the largest global in more effective policies overall. It is a girl’s survey of people’s priorities for sustainable right to participate in decision-making, and development, girls aged 15 and under facilitating this participation benefits her consider gender equality more important whole community. Building girls’ capacities to than any other age-group, followed by girls

“I never understood this discrimination between men and women, boys and girls. Do we want a society where girls have no education and are forced to get married when they are young? Equality should not be an insult. On the contrary, it is a sign that a society is functioning with strong foundations.” Raghad, 16, Lebanon

This quote is from a statement Raghad wrote Generation Equality and the 25th anniversary of on International Women’s Day 2020.187 Days the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action later the World Health Organization declared were delayed by the fight against COVID-19. COVID-19 a global pandemic and plans for

31 32 THE GLOBAL GIRLHOOD REPORT 2020 people. for young spaces reserving by and scholarships with participation youth voices support and people’s young include now often agencies UN and organisations society civil by reports and conferences Child. the of Rights the on Convention UN the under them affect that decisions in participate to have aright Girls for the better. communities their in of girls lives the shape to others with working and policies influencing themselves, decision-makers as act can they have shown, report this in girls the of many as And account. levels to international and national the at and communities their in decision-makers holding actors, political effective more become also can They adulthood. into and adolescence in wellbeing and safety their ensure better can girls them, affecting issues on out speak to confidence and capacity increased With adolescence. during mechanism aprotective as serves also rights for their advocate places older youth at an advantage. Younger advantage. an at girls, youth older places English) often speak to ability the (including time over gained experience on focused criteria selection and support to choice 18under expensive amore girls makes meetings government and conferences to adult an with travel children that requirement The spaces. decision-making these accessing to barriers particular, in face many still disabilities with disabilities, including girls with disabilities. with girls including disabilities, involve with recovery people measures and response that ensure to governments on called has Secretary-General UN the behind, further populations marginalised leave already and reverse progress to COVID-19 the With threatening crisis world’s10% the of have disabilities. children LEFT BEHIND SO THAT IS ONE NO INCLUDED – ARE DISABILITIES WITH GIRLS ENSURE concerning them across sectors and contexts. contexts. and sectors across them concerning matters in them include should and heard voices make their to disabilities with girls support should actors other and governments disabilities, with people represent that organisations with collaborating through beyond, and COVID-response the In 189 Yet, girls below the age of 18, and girls girls 18, and of age Yet, the below girls 188 Major world Major 190

this architecture, its leadership and its accountability accountability its and leadership its architecture, this of part be a must Girls years. five next for the plans develop to established have been Coalitions’ Action Equality ‘Generation Six centre. the at be must They for action. platform the in asub-chapter than more be must girls time, This are made. progress to newand commitments reviewed everyyears five is for Action Platform Beijing towards the Progress here East Middle the in countries three from girls ( accountability for monitoring and implementation design, its in girls of inclusion the on depend will them deliver to agenda relevance the of the But were then. they as 1995 in made relevant are today as commitments The Action. for Platform Beijing the of promises unmet the deliver to working in vital be will today up growing Girls ends. COVID-19 the crisis when end not will girls of generation this for equality for fight The account. to leaders hold and shape decisions, monitor response implementation, help assessments, in are counted girls that critical therefore is It inequalities. gender deepening and existing of context the place in taking is all this of And insecurity. economic and food increasing with battling households in are growing up many And violence. gender-based of are survivors Many virus. the by affected members family older and siblings of are carers Some interrupted. been has education and response effective recovery. an to critical views make their pandemic COVID-19 the through experiences Girls’ Beijing+25 for processes. 2021 wider and scheduled now Forums Equality Generation for the important particularly be will This girls. affect that forums decision-making in addressed be should barriers These exclusive protocols. sometimes and complex often navigate to support of and use to for girls technology of alack by limited often is participation Girls’ mixed. been has reality the but girls to accessible more spaces these make would online held be events global that requirement the and COVID-19 to due travel on restrictions that hoped was It lives. their on effects havecould important that processes decision-making from and countries from some exclude girls also can conflict) by affected those (particularly countries on restrictions Travel events. decision-making major hosting for countries requirements visa meet to order in origin of country their to return will prove they that harder it find can previously, country home their outside have travelled not who those particularly you can read recommendations from from recommendations read can you Many girls’ girls’ Many ). ). 4 NEXT STEPS ON THE ROAD TO GENERATION EQUALITY: BUILDING BACK STRONGER WITH GIRLS 33

endly 191 fri ‑ including including exacerbated † , including social service into national COVID-19 into national COVID-19 cognising gender-based violence, child veloping and strengthening and formal corporating recommendations made by t to address immediate and ongoing de in responses that in a way protects girls, particularly during adolescence, and tracking and reporting on implementation of those measures to ensure accountability to girls. These services must be fully resourced, withincluding personal protective equipment and training to operate safely. informal protection systems the UN Secretary-General as part of his a ceasefire for call on violenceagainst girls and women through engagement girls’ of women’s, local rights groups; of religious,and children’s traditional and community leaders; and of persons of organisations representative with disabilities. providers,shelters, and adolescent girl protection, and sexual and reproductive reproductive and sexual and protection, health services and information as servicesessential re safe spaces, which must be maintained and pandemic.adapted during the COVID-19

• • by COVID-19 by: by COVID-19 • Ac risks gender-based of violence

agenda remains critical girls for and should be prioritya key the for Generation Equality Action Coalitions. The global agenda for equality must be designed in partnership with girls and treat progress for their present and futures as the truest measure of its success. 2. are , including the Action . , including indigenous including , (Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action 1995) * ps of girls of ps tting adolescent girls the at centre suring the principles nine for

se girls’ voices by supporting their right increasing efforts to include marginalised grou girls, girls with disabilities, married girls, pregnant girls and child mothers, and girls living on streets, in extreme poverty, or otherwise to hard reach, example, for due displacement. and migration to pu of the Beijing+25 and Generation process Equality Coalitions, forums and blueprint for accelerating the progress next over five years. Every Action Coalition should include actions adolescentfor girls with SMART objectives, as as well processes to ensure accountability girls. to en meaningful child participation in place.

• “The girl child today of is the woman tomorrow. of The skills,ideas and energy the of girl child are vital full for attainment the of goals equality, of development and peace.” • to safe, inclusive and meaningful participation meaningful and inclusive safe, to in public all decision-making, through the response, and recovery beyond.COVID-19 This must include: • Rai

See detailed recommendations in Beyond the Shadow Pandemic: Protecting a generation of girls from gender-based violence SMART objectives are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timebound. * † 1. Save theSave Children calls on governments to work with girls and civil society to: 25 years later, the still world 25 needs years girls later, to help build a better future. Recommendations 2020 also marks the 20th Anniversary of the and Security Peace Women, Agenda and its recognition of the need addressing for the impact of conflictwomen on and girls and the importance of their participation in peace processes. This processes and their priorities must be included in the plans each. for through COVID-19 to recovery 34 THE GLOBAL GIRLHOOD REPORT 2020 3. 4. 2020]; (2018) UNICEF Child Functioning ‡ † * child marriage by accelerating coordinated action across education, health, protection and other sectors other and protection health, education, across action coordinated accelerating by marriage child Working together to end child marriage: How governments can end end can governments How marriage: child end to together Working brief: following the in out set are recommendations Detailed Addressing Data Gaps on Early, Child and Forced Marriage in Humanitarian Settings Humanitarian in Marriage Forced and Child Early, on Gaps Data Addressing Paper: Discussion our in out set are Details http://www.washingtongroup-disability.com/ website: (2020) Statistics Disability on Group Washington See:

• by: progress COVID-19 sustainable enable to and for girls of outcomes worst prevent to the investments In • by: rights their realise to girls married • En • • •

with new – not repackaged – repackaged new –not with girls in vest d child marriage d child urg leaders, and recognise the specific risk of risk specific the recognise and leaders, local community and boys, men, with engaging This programmingviolence. should include this work. this for responsible typically children and women of departments the as as well finance, and protection child justice, education, health, of Thesemechanisms. should engage ministries accountability with FGM) recently, more and, Marriage Child End to Approach Common Union African the under introduced those (like plans action national multisectoral de reproductive health. and sexual and education to rights their accessing girls to barriers create that policies and laws repealing and exception, without violence pa child benefits. universal of realisation progressive including poverty, in living families support to se inclusive, and gender- increasing child- commitments made under the 2019 the under made Oslo commitments Humanitarian Response Plan, and COVID-19 the under for funding Global contexts in humanitarian violence gender-based child marriage. end to support build and norms social harmful change to leaders religious and families their communities with working harm for women and girls with disabilities. girls and for women harm gender of cause root the address and norms gender harmful transform to programming equality gender standalone anddesigning implementing veloping and implementing fully costed costed fully implementing and veloping nsitive social protection ssing laws against gender-based gender-based against laws ssing ently ently increasing funding to address to address funding increasing , including harmful practices, practices, harmful , including , starting by meeting the call the meeting by , starting * and support already already support and (website). [Accessed 24 August 2020]. 2020]. 24 August [Accessed (website). mechanisms mechanisms , i ncluding girls, girls, ncluding ‑ ba sed sed

• including by: contexts, humanitarian in particularly collection, Co • • • • • •

and disability di pr pr co child benefits. universal of realisation progressive and protection social support to including girls, for for financing fair practice best other budgeting child-sensitive inclusive, and crisis-affected areas. areas. and crisis-affected conflict- in girls and girls, married cities, big from far living girls households, poorest the in growing up girls disabilities, with girls to attention increased include must This policies. acrossinequality government and donor be furthest are who being left girls putting accountability mechanisms. and participation girls’ collection, data including for girls, programmes and policies national of development support to rights. their know to for girls opportunities support to disabilities with girls and women of groups, including representative organisations and girl-led organisations, rights women’s girls’ and grassroots for funding flexible through leadership COVID-19 pandemic. the from resulting needs rising the meet to pledges and Conference, increasing Pledging contexts humanitarian in marriage child on co recovery efforts. all COVID-19 inform to and response cycle programme the of every stage at and immediately, analysis gender co identity and expression. gender and orientation, sexual and wealth geography, ethnicity, by possible, and safe with improved data improved data with every girl unt saggregating data by sex, age-group saggregating data age-group by sex, oviding oviding gender-responsive and gender-responsive to mmitting intersectional intersectional an applying and nducting address ongoing data address gaps to mmitting hind first . expert and financial assistance assistance financial and expert feminist for support financial ‡ – through a renewed focus on on arenewed focus –through † as a minimum, and where where and aminimum, as . [Accessed 24 August August 24 [Accessed networks and and networks . and and , About Women A woman is half of the community, we should empower her Take her hand to overcome all her challenges Learn, be strong and take her certificate Side by side with a man to achieve herself To raise strong generations to rebuild her country We must help her to overcome all her challenges She proved her abilities at home and at work He who will stand against her strength and increase her difficulties is a loser A woman should be empowered And protected from harassment, violence and child marriage A woman is your mother, sister, daughter, and you should be proud of her A nation will not rise if women are oppressed within it.

This poem and painting are by Maya, age 14. She says the painting represents “the confused feelings a girl has about the decision of early marriage”. A refugee from Syria, Maya is living in a camp in Jordan. Read her story on page 7. Endnotes

1 UN (2020) Policy Brief: The impact of COVID-19 on Women. 23 Alkema, L et al (2014) “National, regional and global sex ratios of infant, child, and under-5 mortality and identification of countries with 2 Save the Children (2020) Save our Education: Protect every child’s outlying ratios: a systematic assessment”, Lancet Global Health, vol 2, right to learn in the COVID-19 response and recovery. September 2014, pp e521–e530. 3 Fiala, O (Save the Children) and Delamonica, E (UNICEF) 30 June 24 See note 23. 2020 (Blog) Coronavirus’ invisible victims: Children in monetary poor households. 25 Save the Children (2017) Fighting for Breath: A call to action on childhood pneumonia. 4 Save the Children (2020) – see note 2. 26 Anderson, S. and Ray, D. (2017) Excess Female Mortality in Africa. 5 See Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006); WIDER Working Paper 2017/116. United Nations University World Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, General Institute for Development Economics Research. Comment No. 3 (2016) on women and girls with disabilities; United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007). 27 Save the Children (2018) Don’t push it: Why the formula milk industry must clean up its act. 6 You can read about how disability is a part of the Sustainable Development Goals here: https://www.un.org/disabilities/documents/ 28 See Jayachandran, S and Kuziemko, I (2011) “Why do mothers sdgs/disability_inclusive_sdgs.pdf breastfeed girls less than boys? Evidence and implications for child health in India”, Health and the Economy eJournal; Chakravarty, A (2011) 7 Global Network Against Food Crises and Food Security Inclusion “Gender Bias in Breastfeeding and Missing Girls in Africa: The Role of Network (2020) 2020 Global Report on Food Crises: Joint Analysis for Fertility Choice”, Published by UCL online [Accessed 9 August 2020]; better decisions. Chakravarty, A (2012) “Gender discriminatory premarital investments, 8 World Food Program (2020) The power of gender equality for food fertility preferences, and breastfeeding in Egypt”, Available at SSRN security: Closing another gender data gap with a new quantitative [Accessed 9 August 2020]. measure. 29 Chakravarty, A (2011) – see note 28. 9 Save the Children (2020) – see note 2. 30 Save the Children (2018) Nutrition for girls: Multiple determinants 10 Fiala O and Delamonica E (2020) – see note 3. for improved outcomes. 11 Global Protection Cluster (2020) COVID-19 Protection risks and 31 Development Initiatives Poverty Research (2017) Global Nutrition responses: Situation Report 6 – June 2020. Report: Nourishing the SDGs. 12 UNFPA (2020) Interim Technical Note: Impact of the COVID-19 32 Daru, J, et al. (2018). “Risk of maternal mortality in women with Pandemic on Family Planning and Ending Gender-Based Violence, severe anaemia during pregnancy and post partum: A multilevel Female Genital Mutilation and Child Marriage (published 27 April analysis”, The Lancet Global Health, 6(5), pp. e548–e554. 2020). 33 World Health Organization (2018) Global Health Estimates 2016: 13 UNFPA (2020) – see note 12. Disease burden by Cause, Age, Sex, by Country and by Region, 2000–2016. 14 UN News. “UN chief calls for domestic violence ‘ceasefire’ amid ‘horrifying global surge’”, UN News Published 6 April 2020. [Accessed 34 Save the Children (2018) – see note 30. 10 August 2020] 35 Groce, N et al (2013) – see note 20. 15 See: Washington Group on Disability Statistics (2020) website: 36 UNICEF (2019) State of the World’s Children 2019: Children, food http://www.washingtongroup-disability.com/ [Accessed 24 August and nutrition – Growing well in a changing world. 2020]; UNICEF (2018) Child Functioning (website). [Accessed 24 August 2020]. 37 World Health Organization (2019) Factsheet – Children: Reducing Mortality [Accessed 9 August 2020]. 16 Save the Children (2018) Still Left Behind: Tracking children’s progress against the pledge to Leave No One Behind. 38 Global Nutrition Report (2020) “About Malnutrition”, Global Nutrition Report [Accessed 9 August 2020] 17 GRID: You can examine differences in access to health services in regions within countries that collect data here: https://www.savethe 39 Global Nutrition Report (2020) – see note 38. children.net/grid# 40 Bhurosy, T and Jeewon, R (2014) “Overweight and Obesity Epidemic 18 UNFPA (2019) Young persons with disabilities: Global study on in Developing Countries: A Problem with Diet, Physical Activity, or ending gender-based violence, and realising sexual and reproductive Socioeconomic Status?”, The Scientific World Journal, vol 2014; NCD Risc health and rights. (2017) “Girls 1975–2016: Obesity”, Body-Mass Index – Evolution of BMI over time (website). [Accessed 10 August 2020] 19 World Health Organization (2011) World Report on Disability. 41 Ng, M (2014) “Global, regional, and national prevalence of 20 Groce, N et al (2013) “Inclusive nutrition for children and adults with overweight and obesity in children and adults during 1980–2013: a disabilities”, The Lancet Global Health, vol 1(4), pp. e180–181. systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013”, 21 Groce, N et al (2013) – see note 20. The Lancet, vol 384(9945), pp.766–781. 22 Hume-Nixon, M and Kuper, H (2018) “The association between 42 World Health Organization (2016) Maternal, newborn, child and malnutrition and childhood disability in low- and middle- income adolescent health. [Accessed 9 August 2020]. countries: systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies”, The European Journal of Tropical Medicine and International Health, vol. 23(11), pp. 1158–1175.

36 ENDNOTES 37 . . , Poverty . Published Published . . , AmericanEconomic . ; Human Rights Watch . . , International Program on the . . . , vol5(3), pp. 27–40. . (blog) Published 9 December 2014. [Accessed ...... Save the Children (2020) Stop the on War Children 2020: Gender ILO date) (no “What is Child Labor?” Child Labour Supporting Force Task the (2016) Toolkit; Interagency Bandiera, et O al (2018) The Economic Lives of Women Young in International Labor Office (2017) – see note 83. Save the Children(2020) COVID-19 Impacts on Children: How to Le Nestour, A “Need Billion? $193 Let Women Work!” (Save the International Labor Office (2017) – see note 83. Linden, L and Burde “Bringing D (2013) Education to Afghan Girls: A UNICEF Children (2013) and People Young with Disabilities Fact Article 3 of ILO Recommendation No. 190 UN Women Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women. “Briefing UNESCO (2014) Puberty, education & menstrual hygiene Article 3 of ILO Convention No. 182 International Labor Office (2017) Global Estimates of Child Labor Keeping Coalition (2020) Forces Joining Children Safe in Uganda’s Save the Children, UNICEF, Plan, World Vision (2015) Children’s UNESCO and UNGEI (2019) Global Education Monitoring Report UN Economic Commission for Africa (2015) Socio-Economic Impacts Save the Children (2019) Save the Children’s Position – Child Labour UNESCO (2007) Strong foundations for gender equality in early UNDP (2015) Assessing Sexual and Gender-Based Violence during Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack (2019) “It is very UNICEF (2017) Education uprooted: For every migrant, refugee and World Bank (2014) “Reaching Children and Youth Stranded by Global Protection Cluster (2020) COVID-19 Protection risks and Penal Code of Burkina Faso [Accessed August 10 2020] de Hoop,and J Edmonds, E (UNICEF) (2020) “Why child labour UNESCO (2019)see – note 65 Save the Children date) (no Play to be school ready (website). the Ebola Crisis in Sierra Leone protect a generation at risk at generation a protect childhood care and education: advocacy brief of Ebola on Africa – Revised Edition Protection Needs of Child Labourers in Emergencies COVID-19 Response cannot be forgotten during COVID-19” (blog) Published May 14 2020. [Accessed August 10 2020] responses: Situation Report 6 – June 2020 93 94 95 96 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 67 Elimination of Child Labor. [Accessed August 13 2020] Randomised Control Trial of Village-Based of Schools” Trial Control Randomised Journal: Applied EconomicsJournal: Sheet displaced child the Time of Ebola: Lessons from an Empowerment Program Action Lab (2019) “Africa: Pregnant girls, young mothers denied school – Students” all Include should Plans Humanitarian Education, June [Accessed16 2019. August 10 2020] 2019: Building Bridges for Gender Equality painful to talk about” Impact of Attacks on Education on Women and Girls Children Blog). Published October 16 2018. [Accessed August 10 2020] Note: Impact of COVID-19 on Violence Against Women and Girls Through the Lens of Civil Society and Rights Women’s Organizations.” Last updated May 2020. [Accessed August 10 2020] Matters Ebola Recovery Assessment: Sierra Leone management the Ebola Crisis” August10 2020] , , , , News , The Lancet , Frontiers in , The Guardian , Fact Sheet No. 56 , World Bank Group , The Globe and Mail . Journal of Public Health Public of , Journal . , vol 17:84. . . Published 9 July 2020. [Accessed . . . . Published April 27 2020 [Accessed 9 August , BMC Public Health . , vol 7(11), pp. E1470–E1471. , vol 7(11), , October 2016. . , Live Mint . ; Tembon, M and Fort, L, eds. (2008) the in Education “Girls’ See for example: Georgatos, G “We should weep, but more Elston, JWT et al (2015) “Impact of the Ebola outbreak on health Government of Thailand, UNICEF, UNDP and UNFPA (2020) UNESCO (2020) Global Education Monitoring Report: Inclusion and Save the Children (2019) Road to Recovery: Responding to children’s World Food Program (2020) – see note 8. UNESCO (2020) – seenote 64 See for example: Savethe Children (2020) Five years of fear and UNESCO (2019) “New Methodology Shows that 258 million Siekmans, K et al (2017) “Community-based health care is an World Food Program (2020) “Coronavirus threatens in surge global UNAIDS (2020) The impact of the COVID-19 response on the supply Chaaban, J and Cunningham, “Measuring W (2011) the Economic UNAIDS (2020) Global AIDS Update: Seizing the moment: Tackling Abdool Karim, SS and Baxter, C (2019) in “HIV rates incidence Brolin Ribacke, KJ (2016) “Effects of the West African Ebola Virus Save the Children (2017) – see note 25. Save the Children(2019) Changing Lives in our Lifetime: Global Rukmini, S “How COVID-19 response disrupted health services in World Bank Group – Development Economics Development Global Network Against Food Crises and Food Security Inclusion Oxfam (2020) Media briefing: The Hunger Virus: How COVID-19 Save the Children(2020) – see note 2. Elston, JWT et al (2015) – see note 48. entrenched inequalities to end epidemicsentrenched end inequalities to September 2019 UIS/2019/ED/FS/56. 2019 September Children, Adolescents and Youth are Out of School” Childhood Report 2019 education – All means all rural India” 2020]. Research Group (2020) Remote-learning, Time-Use, and Mental Health of Ecuadorian High-School Students during the COVID-19 Quarantine is fuelling hunger in a hungry world 9 August 2020] essential component of a resilient health system: evidence from Ebola Liberia” in outbreak mental health in conflict 65 66 64 63 61 62 60 Network (2020) 2020 Global Report on Food Crises: Joint Analysis for better decisions 59 57 58 56 55 53 54 51 52 50 49 48 47 46 45 44 43 Disease on Health-Care-Utilization – A Systemic Review” Public HealthPublic systems and population health in Sierra Leone” adolescent girls and young womenin sub-Saharan Africa” Health Global importantlywe should act to stop Indigenous suicides” World Bank Group. Gains of Investing in Girls: The Girl Effect Dividend” eLibrary Century:21st Gender Equality, Empowerment, and Economic Growth” release 20 May 2020. [Accessed 9 August 2020] malnutrition, jeopardizing future of an extra million 10 children” chain, availability and cost of generic antiretroviral medicines for HIV middle-income countries and low- in Preliminary Report: A Survey on Impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic on Children and People Young and Their Needs: Online Survey Conducted between 28 March and April 10 2020 loss: The devastating impact of war onthe mentalhealth of Yemen‘s children vol 38(4), pp. 673–678. PublishedSeptember 10 [Accessed 2017 9 August 2020]; Nolen, S, “The lost ones: Inside Brazil’s Indigenous suicide crisis” [Accessed 9 August 2020]. 38 THE GLOBAL GIRLHOOD REPORT 2020 Forced Marriage in Nyal, South Sudan South Nyal, in Marriage Forced Settings Humanitarian in Marriage Forced and Early Child, on Gaps Data Addressing Draft: Discussion and Paper White (2019) Children the Settings Humanitarian and Development in practice and research from Lessons marriage: child to Toward end an (2018) Children the Brief” &Nutrition Security Food Sectors. Different of Role the Marriage: outbreaks inoutbreaks development and humanitarian settings Burden of Disease Study 1990–2016” Study Disease of Burden Global the India: in deaths suicide in variations state and differentials “Gender (2018) Collaborators Suicide Initiative Burden Disease marriage” child ending law pass should –Parliament Lebanon in suicide attempted bride’s “A child (2018) of Adolescent Health Ethiopia” in girls adolescent among attempts and thoughts 2019 Marriage act to response to Ebola to response harmonisation of laws. the Strengthening series: Spotlight 2020] 10 August [Accessed 2017) (Press release published day” 10 every October illegally married 111 110 109 108 107 106 105 104 103 102 101 100 99 98 97 116 115 114 113 112 – the fatal confusion between protecting girls and sexual violence sexual and girls protecting between confusion fatal – the pregnancy 3000 voices 3000 through told mobile, of usage and to access girls’ of study – Aglobal COVID-19 Comment No. 3 (2016) on women and girls with disabilities with girls and women on 3(2016) No. Comment marriages and unions in Latin America and the Caribbean the and America Latin in unions and marriages Children. Approach Plus’ a‘Cash Taking and Child-Sensitivity of Importance The Outcomes: Child Improving in Transfers Cash of implementation features and design of role the of and impact programme of review A rigorous 11 August 2020]. 11 August Africa in Marriage Child End to Action action across education, health, protection and other sectors other and protection health, education, across action coordinated accelerating by marriage child end can governments How girls-suicide/ https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/syria-child-marriage-young- 2020]; 10 August [Accessed 2017). July 28 published (article marriages” underage and Idlib rural in girls among suicide between link “The H(2017) Arfah, Hand Yahya, pp. e478–479; Bandiera, O et al (2018) – see note 77. note –see (2018) al Oet Bandiera, Cash Transfers: What does the evidence say? say? evidence the does What Transfers: Cash (2016). al Fet Bastagli, COVID-19 and Child Labor: A time of crisis, a time atime crisis, of Atime Labor: Child and COVID-19 (2020) ILO “More than 20,000 girls girls 20,000 than “More (2017) Bank World and Children the Save Review of the African Union Campaign to End Child Child End to Campaign Union African the of Review (2018) UNICEF Methodological note Methodological Campaign to End Child Marriage: Call to to Call Marriage: Child End to Campaign (2014) Union African “Taking Action to Address Child Child Address to Action “Taking (2016) &ICRW Brides Not Girls To protect her honour: Child marriage in emergencies emergencies in marriage Child honour: her To (2015) protect CARE A Hidden Reality: Child, forced and early early and forced Child, Reality: AHidden (2019) UNFPA and Plan Girlhood, not motherhood: Preventing adolescent adolescent Preventing motherhood: not Girlhood, (2015) UNFPA Tip Sheet for Disability inclusion during during inclusion Disability for Sheet Tip (2020). Children, the Save 4 lessons from evaluations of the education education the of evaluations from 4lessons J(2020) Hallgarten, Connected Women The Mobile Gender Gap Report Report Gap Gender Mobile The Women Connected (2020). GSMA, Real girls, real lives, connected connected lives, real girls, Real (2018) Effect Girl The and Vodafone General General Disabilities, with Persons of Rights the on Convention Demographic Health Survey 2018. Survey Health Demographic Working together to end child marriage: marriage: child end to together Working (2018) Children the Save “Association of child marriage with suicidal suicidal with marriage child of (2013) “Association AJ Gage, See: Gender implications of COVID-19 COVID-19 of implications Care International, (2020). Gender . ; Human Rights Centre UC Berkeley School of Law and Save Save and Law of School Berkeley UC Centre Rights ; Human . African Common Position on the African Union Campaign Campaign Union African the on Position Common ; African “Born to be married!” Addressing Early and and Early Addressing married!” be to “Born (2019) ; Oxfam . . . . . , vol 52(5), pp. 654–656; Human Rights Watch Watch Rights Human 654–656; pp. 52(5), , vol . The Role Role The L(2018). Harman, ODI; . London: . Published 17 June 2015. [Accessed [Accessed 2015. 17 June . Published , The Lancet Public Health . , Dispatches; India State Level Level State India , Dispatches; , Syria Deeply Deeply , Syria . London: Save the the Save . London: . . , Journal . , vol 3(1),, vol . . ; Save ; Save Facts: Fertility among very young adolescents No. 2019/1 No. adolescents young very among Fertility Facts: 10 August 2020] 10 August [Accessed 2018. August 24 Published blog) Children the (Save the Caribbean and America Latin in pregnancy adolescent of reduction the toward progress Accelerating (2018) UNICEF and UNFPA Americas, years). Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys. Cluster Indicator Multiple years). (various UNICEF and Surveys Health and 2007–2017. Demographic a changing world Peoples Indigenous of Rights the on Declaration Nations ; United disabilities World Bank Data. [Accessed 10 August 2020] 2020] 10 August [Accessed Data. Bank World income)” high (excluding &Pacfic Asia –East 15–19) aged women 128 127 126 125 124 123 122 121 120 119 1118 117 145 144 143 142 141 140 139 138 137 136 135 134 133 132 131 130 129 business – The pursuit of rights and choices for all for choices and rights of pursuit –The business note 135. note progress Cause, Age, Sex, by Country and by Region, 2000–2016 Region, by and Country by Sex, Age, Cause, North Africa – A multi-country study –Amulti-country Africa North and East Middle the in Marriage Child (2017) Women on Research for Marriage in Lebanon [Accessed 14 August 2020]. 14 August [Accessed (no date) brides Website/database. child of ageneration creating Assessment of Syrian Refugees in Lebanon Development and Population on Conference International the at adopted Action of blog) Published 1 April 2019. [Accessed 10 August 2020]. 2020]. 10 August 2019. [Accessed 1April Published blog) Children the (Save marriage child against Campaign, aHand us Give Child, Early and Forced Marriage in Humanitarian Settings Humanitarian in Marriage Forced and Early Child, in Mozambique marriage child on Kenneth and Idai cyclones of effect the -– Disasters Facts, No. 2019/3 No. Facts, para cada nino cada para [Accessed 10 August 2020] 10 August [Accessed Policy note: “No, I don’t” Abolishing Child Child Abolishing Idon’t” “No, note: Policy (2019) Children the Save UNHCR, UNICEF and World Food Program (2018). Vulnerability (2018). Program Food World and UNICEF UNHCR, Global Health Estimates 2016: Disease burden by by burden Disease 2016: Estimates Health Global (2018) WHO Adolescent Pregnancy Adolescent (2020) WHO “Adolescent fertility rate (births per 1,000 1,000 per (births rate fertility “Adolescent (2020) Bank World 2017. Survey Cluster Indictor Multiple Save the Children and Girl Child Rights (2019) – see note 120. note –see (2019) Rights Child Girl and Children the Save Demographic Health Survey 2014. Survey Health Demographic Sustainable Development Goal Target 5.6; UN (1994) UN Programme Target 5.6; Goal Development Sustainable Pan American Health Organisation, World Health Organisation Republica Dominica 2016 – Una oportunidad justa justa oportunidad –Una 2016 Dominica Republica (2016) UNICEF UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (2019) Population (2019) Affairs Social and Economic of Department UN life” in chance asecond given mother “Teenage R(2018) Jalloh, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (2019) Population (2019) Affairs Social and Economic of Department UN A new era for girls – Taking stock of 25 years of of years 25 of stock –Taking girls for (2020) UNICEF era Anew Progress of the World’s Women: Families in in Families World’s Women: the of Progress (2019) Women UN Addressing Data Gaps on on Gaps Data Addressing A(2019) Marshak, Dand Mazurana, WHO (2020) – see note 137. note –see (2020) WHO UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (2019) – see –see (2019) Affairs Social and Economic of Department UN Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2014. Survey Cluster Indicator Multiple UNFPA (2020) – see note 12. 12. note –see (2020) UNFPA Cortes, M, de la Cruz, K and Minniti, S (2019) Dominican S(2019) Republic, Minniti, Kand Cruz, la de M, Cortes, Save the Children and Girl Child Rights (2019) Policy (2019) brief: Double Rights Child Girl and Children the Save State of the World’s Population 2019: Unfinished Unfinished 2019: World’s Population the of State (2019) UNFPA General Comment No. 3 (2016) on women and girls with with girls and women on 3(2016) No. Comment General Plan and UNFPA (2019) – see note 110. note –see (2019) UNFPA and Plan is change climate how into investigation An sun: the of Brides WHO (2020) – see note 137. note –see (2020) WHO Syria Crisis August 2018 Humanitarian Results Humanitarian 2018 August Crisis Syria (2018) UNICEF World Report on Disability on (2011) Report World WHO (2007); . . . . . : UN Women calculations from ICF International International ICF from calculations Women : UN . ; UNICEF MENA Office & International Center Center International & Office MENA ; UNICEF . . Published 31 January 2020. 2020. 31 January . Published . . . . . , . ENDNOTES 39 . . . . . (Equality Now Blog) Published Published Blog) Now (Equality . . Financial Tracking Service. Tracking Financial . .

. [Accessed August 10 2020]. . ; CARE (2020) CARE International expresses alarm over lack Article 12, UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989). Equality Now (2020) “COVID-19 Conversations. The Crisis of Health Cluster (2020) Global Humanitarian Response Plan – July My World – The United Nations Global Survey for a Better World International Rescue Committee (2019) Where is the money? How UN (2018) World Youth Report – Youth and the 2030 Agenda for UN News (2020) – see note 14. Save the Children (2020) – see note 167. UN (2020) Policy Brief: A Disability-Inclusive Response to UN OCHA (2020) COVID-19 Global Humanitarian Response Plan Equality Now (2020) – see note 180. Intabi, R (2020) Girls can change their societies when they speak up International Rescue Committee (2020) “IRC data shows an International Rescue Committee, International Medical Corps and Convention on the Rights of Personswith Disabilities, General Save the Children (forthcoming) Global Research Series: Girls on WHO World Report (2011) on Disability UNFPA (2020) – see note 12. Save the Children (2020) Views from the Lockdown – Children and Orlassino, C and Fiala, “The O. Changing Face of COVID-19: A live Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (2012) Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (2018) First Quadrennial Pacific Global Protection Cluster (2020) COVID-19 Protection risks and UN (2020) Policy Brief: The impact of COVID-19 on Women Comment No. 3 (2016) on women and girls with disabilities (Humanitarian Response Plan) Response (Humanitarian Sustainable Development Report increase in reports of gender-based violence across Latin America” (Press release published 9 June 2020). [Accessed August 10 2020] (blog for International Women‘s Day) Save the Children Lebanon News. Published 8 May 2020. [Accessed August 10 2020]. Online Child Sexual Exploitation.” Sexual Child Online 8 May 2020. [Accessed August 10 2020] Thematic study on the issue of violence against women and girls and disability A/HRC/20/5 the Move. Sustainable Development Sustainable the humanitarian system is failing in its commitments to end violence against women and girls 189 190 191 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 168 tracker of its impact on children” (Save the Children Blog) Published 29 July 2020. [Accessed August 10 2020] Update of funding for GBV in COVID-19 Global Humanitarian Response Plan (press release) Published July 16 2020 [Accessed August 13 2020] Youth’s ExperienceYouth’s of COVID-19 in Lebanon COVID-19 Norwegian Church Aid. “Women and Girls Safe Spaces: Technical Guidance Note for COVID-19” responses: Situation Report 6 – June 2020 (database) . . . Published Published . , Frontiers in . . . . , Preprints with the Lancet , Live Mint. Published April 27 2020 [Accessed . . . , October 2016. . . . [Accessed August 10 2020] . , Marie Stopes International. [Accessed August 10 2020] UNFPA (2020) Interim Technical Note: Impact of the COVID-19 UNFPA persons (2019) Young with disabilities: Global study on Marie Stopes International (2020) “Our (2020) International Stopes Response Marie to theCOVID-19 UNICEF (2017) A familiar face: Violence in the lives of children and UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities Plan (2020) “Girls in Somalia subjected to door-to-door FGM” National Health Mission Health Management Information System Information Management Health Mission Health National UNICEF (2014) A Statistical Snapshot of Violence Against Know Violence in Childhood (2017) Ending Violencein Childhood: End FGM European Network, End FGM/C US Network and Equality World Vision (2020) A PerfectStorm: Millions more children at risk Save the Children (2020) ParentingWithout Violence Key Messages See for example: UNHCR (4th Edition) UNHCR Emergency Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: A statistical statistical A UNICEF Mutilation/Cutting: Genital Female (2013) Save the Children. “Adolescents in Sierra Leone Getting Protected Save the Children et al (2019) Unseen, Unsafe: The underinvestment UNICEF (2020) – see note 136. 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