Girl Goals: 30 Years of Uneven Progress for Adolescent Girls
A new report finds that while gains have been made for adolescent girls globally, much more needs to be done to sufficiently safeguard their rights and protect their futures.
A new report from UNICEF, Plan International and UN Women reviews three decades of change in adolescent girls' lives since the Beijing Platform for Action was endorsed in 1995.
Girl Goals: What has changed for girls? Adolescent girls’ rights over 30 years, released on March 6, 2025 ahead of International Women's Day, finds that despite significant achievements in areas such as education, millions of adolescent girls across the world today are still out of school and ill-equipped for the future. They face gaps in lifesaving health services and remain at risk of violence, harmful practices like child marriage and female genital mutilation and other forms of exploitation and abuse.
Working together to ensure that girls have the skills, assets and resources they need to thrive
The report lays bare the urgent need for global action to unlock the enormous potential of adolescent girls, and recommends for governments and other stakeholders to come together to elevate adolescent girls’ voices and support their advocacy to shape policymaking on the issues that affect their lives; close gaps, particularly in education and skills training; and leverage data-driven evidence to steer investments, focusing on economic empowerment.
“Adolescent girls are a powerful force for global change," UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said. "With the right support at the right time, they can help deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals and reshape our world. Investments in critical areas such as education, skills, protection and essential health and nutrition services can unlock the potential of adolescent girls across the world and lift up communities and countries."
Girl Goals report: key facts and takeaways
Education, training, digital skills
- the percentage of girls who are out of school globally has declined by 39 percent in the last 20 years; still, 122 million girls worldwide are out of school today
- nearly 4 in 10 adolescent girls and young women globally do not complete upper secondary school; girls from rural poor backgrounds and marginalized communities are even less likely to complete schooling
- in South Asia, disparities between boys and girls are particularly high, with adolescent girls aged 15-19 three times less likely to be in school, employed or in training
- the number of adolescent girls and young women who are illiterate is down by half compared to 30 years ago; yet nearly 50 million adolescent girls and young women today are unable to read or write a simple sentence
- 9 out of 10 adolescent girls and young women in low-income countries do not have access to the internet, while their male peers are twice as likely to be online
Gender-based violence
- 50 million girls alive in the world today have experienced sexual violence
- nearly 1 in 4 adolescent girls who have been married or partnered have experienced intimate partner violence
- more than one-third of adolescent girls and boys aged 15-19 globally consider a husband to be justified in hitting his wife under certain circumstances
Harmful practices, teen pregnancy
On female genital mutilation (FGM): The practice is on the decline. Some countries have made significant progress in the last 30 years — in both Burkina Faso and Liberia, the share of girls subjected to FGM is down by half — yet the global rate of decline needs to be 27 times faster to meet the 2030 target deadline for eradication.
Related: Stepping Up the Pace to End Female Genital Mutilation
On child marriage: Girls today are less likely tomarry under the age of 18, compared to 25 years ago. Still, 1 in 5 girls globally marry in childhood. Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have seen no progress on this issue over the last 25 years.
On teen pregnancy: Globally, the number of adolescent girls giving birth has nearly halved over the past 30 years. Still, nearly 12 million adolescent girls aged 15 to 19 and more than 325,000 girls aged 10 to 14 are expected to give birth in 2025.
The surest investment in a more sustainable, equitable and peaceful world
“Tireless efforts to combat gender inequality mean that a girl’s chances of going to school are significantly higher than three decades ago, and her chances of marrying or becoming pregnant as a child much lower," said Kathleen Sherwin, Chief Strategy and Engagement Officer for Plan International.
"There is much to celebrate – but at the same time, this progress is fragile, uneven, and constantly under threat," Sherwin continued. "Too many girls continue to face discrimination and abuse every day, simply for being young and female. Our work to achieve equality for girls must continue, working with girls, women and their allies around the world.”
UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous added: "We have come a long way, but we have miles to go before every girl’s potential is recognized and protected. Empowering all adolescent girls is the surest investment in a more sustainable, equitable and peaceful world.”
Learn more about what UNICEF is doing to create a more equitable world for all children.