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Unicef Calls for Increased Investment in Adolescent Girls' Rights

Every year on October 11, the world unites to celebrate the resilience, strength, and potential of girls, highlighting the distinct challenges they face worldwide. As we approach the midpoint of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) journey, the focus on the well-being and rights of all, especially girls, becomes even more critical.

Despite the strides made, girls continue to face distinct challenges worldwide. In Nigeria, the stakes are high for an estimated 26 million adolescent girls. UNICEF calls for renewed vigor in safeguarding and fostering their rights, especially those marginalized due to disability, poverty, or crises.

Many girls face barriers to accessing education, including societal norms, economic limitations, and long travel distances to schools. UNESCO reports that 50 million girls in sub-Saharan Africa are not in school. Child marriage is also a significant issue, as many young girls are forced into unions prematurely, leading to the loss of their childhood, health problems, and the continuation of poverty cycles.

Gender-based violence, female genital mutilation, and sexual exploitation pose a constant threat to the physical and mental health of girls and women in Africa. Nearly 140 million girls and women in Africa have undergone FGM, according to UNICEF.

InFocus

UNICEF

Every year on October 11, the world unites to celebrate the resilience, strength, and potential of girls, highlighting the distinct challenges they face worldwide.

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