UN Women estimates that 15 million adolescent girls worldwide have experienced forced sex. In Nigeria alone a 2014 national survey found that one in four girls experience sexual violence, defined as “all forms of...
good governance
South Africa: when a blessing is a curse
Statutory rape has swept South Africa over the past five years as evidenced by the number of girls aged 10 to 14 years giving birth at public health facilities, which has soared by almost 50%. It is a healthcare crisis...
The high cost of having a period
For most rural African girls, menstruation presents a dilemma: either attend lessons and face embarrassment, coupled with self-discrimination, or remain at home to nurse their monthly periods. The Primary School...
Pregnant and in uniform
Education re-entry or continuation policies for pregnant schoolgirls, while still perceived as controversial in some contexts, have gone a long way in protecting their right to education. Re-entry laws, policies, and...
Female leadership through basic education for girls
According to data from Togo’s last demographic census in 2010, women play a vital role in the country’s economy, representing more than 51.4% of the total population, then estimated at 6.2 million. Despite this, the...
Girlsʼ sexual health rights threatened by Covid consequences
The social and economic consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic have created and exacerbated existing risks facing women and girl children in Africa and around the world. Of particular concern are the risks facing girl...
