30 Years of Progress for Adolescent Girls: Gains, Gaps, and the Urgent Need for Action

As the world marks International Women’s Day 2025, a new report titled Girl Goals: What has changed for girls?—jointly released by UNICEF, Plan International, and UN Women—provides a comprehensive review of adolescent girls’ progress over the last three decades.

While significant improvements have been made in education, health, and gender equality, millions of adolescent girls remain at risk due to limited access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities, as well as continued exposure to gender-based violence and harmful practices.

Education, Training, and Digital Skills: A Long Road Ahead

Education is widely recognized as the foundation for gender equality, and progress has been made in closing the education gap for adolescent girls. However, glaring disparities remain:

• 122 million girls are still out of school globally, despite a 39% reduction in the past two decades.
• In South Asia, adolescent girls aged 15-19 are three times more likely than boys to be out of school, unemployed, or without vocational training.
• Nearly 50 million adolescent girls worldwide cannot read or write a simple sentence—despite the number of illiterate girls halving over the last 30 years.
• 9 out of 10 adolescent girls in low-income countries lack internet access, while their male counterparts are twice as likely to be online.

These statistics highlight the urgent need to close education gaps, equip girls with digital skills, and provide vocational training to prepare them for the future.

Gender-Based Violence: A Persistent Threat

Violence against adolescent girls remains alarmingly common, with intimate partner violence, sexual violence, and social norms that justify abuse continuing to pose serious threats:

• 1 in 4 adolescent girls who have been married or in a partnership have experienced intimate partner violence.
• 50 million girls worldwide have survived sexual violence.
• Shockingly, more than one-third of adolescents globally believe that a husband is justified in hitting his wife under certain circumstances.

These findings reveal the deep-seated cultural and systemic barriers that prevent adolescent girls from living free from violence and discrimination.

Harmful Practices: Progress, But Not Fast Enough

While child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM) rates have declined, the pace of progress is far too slow:

• Countries like Burkina Faso and Liberia have halved FGM rates over the last 30 years, but global eradication requires a 27-times faster decline to meet the 2030 goal.
• Child marriage rates have dropped, particularly in South Asia, yet 1 in 5 girls worldwide still marry before 18.
• No progress has been made in Latin America and the Caribbean in ending child marriage over the last 25 years.

Without accelerated action, millions of adolescent girls will continue to face these harmful practices in the coming years.

Health and Well-Being: Maternal Risks and Malnutrition

While adolescent birth rates have nearly halved over the past three decades, early pregnancy remains a life-threatening reality for many:

• 12 million adolescent girls aged 15-19 are expected to give birth in 2025.
• Among younger adolescents aged 10-14, more than 325,000 girls will give birth this year, facing severe health risks.
• Complications from pregnancy and childbirth account for 1 in every 23 deaths among adolescent girls.
• Malnutrition remains a challenge—while the proportion of underweight adolescent girls has declined from 10% to 8%, millions still suffer from nutritional deficiencies.

These statistics emphasize the urgent need for improved maternal healthcare, nutrition, and reproductive health services for adolescent girls.

The Way Forward: Urgent Recommendations

The report outlines three key actions to accelerate progress for adolescent girls:

1. Amplifying Girls’ Voices:

   • Ensuring adolescent girls have a seat at the table in policymaking.
   • Supporting youth-led advocacy for education, safety, and economic empowerment.

2. Focusing on Key Areas Where Progress Has Stalled:

   • Addressing gender disparities in education, vocational training, and digital access.
   • Strengthening measures to eliminate violence, child marriage, and FGM.

3. Investing in Scalable, Data-Driven Solutions:

   • Using evidence-based strategies to direct funding where it is most needed.
   • Expanding economic opportunities for adolescent girls through education, skills training, and financial inclusion.

Leaders Call for Action

“Adolescent girls are a powerful force for global change. With the right support, they can drive progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals and reshape our world. Investments in education, skills, and healthcare are critical to unlocking their full potential.” – Catherine Russell, Executive Director of UNICEF

“While progress has been made, it is fragile, uneven, and under constant threat. Too many girls still face discrimination and abuse simply because they are young and female. We must continue our work for gender equality.” – Kathleen Sherwin, Chief Strategy Officer at Plan International

“Too many adolescent girls still lack access to education, health services, and protection from violence. We have made strides, but we must act urgently to ensure no girl is left behind. Investing in adolescent girls is the surest way to build a sustainable, equitable future.” – Sima Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women

The past 30 years have seen remarkable progress for adolescent girls, yet deep inequalities persist. As the world celebrates International Women’s Day, this report serves as a stark reminder that urgent action is needed to empower adolescent girls, protect their rights, and ensure they have equal opportunities to thrive.

Without accelerated global efforts, the promise of a more equal and just world for adolescent girls will remain unfulfilled. Now is the time to close the gender gap, protect girls’ futures, and invest in the next generation of female leaders.