UNESCO calls for stronger measures to ensure continued education for girls affected by child marriage and early pregnancy
A report by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has found that child marriage and early pregnancy continue to hinder girls’ access to education, despite significant progress in narrowing gender gaps worldwide.
In a press statement, UNESCO says that the 2026 Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Gender Report, published ahead of the International Day of the Girl Child on October 11, highlights persistent inequalities in school completion, particularly among girls from rural and economically disadvantaged households.
UNESCO says that gender parity in enrolment has been achieved globally from pre-primary through upper secondary education. However, disparities remain in educational outcomes. In India, while parity has been achieved in urban areas, only 59 girls in rural areas complete upper secondary education for every 100 boys.
The statement says that several countries have made progress in reducing gender gaps. Nepal closed a 33-percentage-point gap in lower secondary completion between girls and boys between 1990 and 2024. In Cambodia, girls moved from 22 percentage points behind boys in primary completion in 1981 to 11 percentage points ahead in 2024.
It adds that Saudi Arabia reduced its tertiary enrolment gap by three quarters between 2006 and 2022, while Costa Rica narrowed its upper secondary completion gap favouring girls from 12 to seven percentage points between 2011–17 and 2018–24.
However, UNESCO warns that national averages conceal significant inequalities. In Angola, while gender parity has been achieved among the richest households, only 30 girls from the least privileged households complete upper secondary education for every 100 boys.
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The statement says that child marriage remains a major obstacle to educational progress. Globally, the share of girls married before the age of 18 declined from 25 pc in 2000 to 18 pc in 2025. However, the proportion remains at 25 pc in Central and Southern Asia and 31 pc in sub-Saharan Africa.
According to the report, an estimated 6 million pregnant girls and young mothers aged 10-19 were out of school in sub-Saharan Africa in 2024. Fewer than 5 pc of pregnant and parenting girls in the region return to education.
UNESCO says that several countries have taken steps to protect the educational rights of pregnant and parenting girls. The Central African Republic, Tanzania, Cameroon, São Tomé and Principe, Sierra Leone and Togo have ended bans preventing married, pregnant and parenting girls and women from continuing their education.
It adds that nine in ten Eastern and Southern African countries surveyed have introduced policies allowing pregnant and parenting adolescents to continue or resume their studies.
According to UNESCO data, 58 pc of countries in 2026 guarantee the right to education without discrimination based on sex or gender in their legal frameworks. However, only 35 pc explicitly protect the right to education of pregnant and parenting girls.
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The statement says that financial constraints and social stigma further restrict educational opportunities. Even where laws allow young mothers to return to school, transport costs, lack of childcare, inadequate water and sanitation facilities, safety concerns and discrimination can prevent them from doing so.
UNESCO highlights Burkina Faso as an example, where the construction of girl-friendly schools increased enrolment by 19 percentage points overall, with larger gains recorded among girls.
The organisation says that it is supporting governments through policy advice, technical assistance, capacity development and educational programmes. Through its ‘Our Rights, Our Lives, Our Future’ programme, UNESCO has worked with Ministries of Education across 35 countries to expand comprehensive sexuality education.
In Afghanistan, where an estimated 2.4 million girls and women remain deprived of their fundamental right to education, UNESCO is providing alternative learning opportunities through community-based education, literacy and skills development programmes, alongside psychosocial support.
The statement adds that through its ‘Her Education, Our Future’ initiative, UNESCO works to strengthen evidence-based policymaking, partnerships and educational opportunities for girls and women.
To mark the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child, UNESCO also organised the award ceremony for the 2026 UNESCO Prize for Girls’ and Women’s Education at its headquarters on October 9. Established in 2015 and funded by the Government of the People’s Republic of China, the annual prize recognises two laureates, each receiving USD 50,000 to support their work advancing girls’ and women’s education.
