The Shocking State of the World’s Girls

A new report  “Because I am a Girl: The State of the World’s Girls” from Plan International gives a comprehensive look at the shocking situation faced by girls throughout the world.  To wit:

• 62 million primary school-aged girls are not in education.
• Childhood malnutrition has led to stunted growth in an estimated 450 million women.
• More young girls aged 15 to 19 years die from unsafe abortions and birth complications than from any other cause.
• Over 100 million girls, some as young as 12, are expected to marry over the next decade despite international legislation outlawing early marriages.

In addition,

• Two million girls a year still suffer genital mutilation.
• Half a million die during pregnancy – the leading killer among 15 to 19-year-olds.
• An estimated 7.3 million are living with HIV/Aids compared with 4.5
  million young men.
• Almost a million girls fall victim to child traffickers each year compared with a quarter that number of boys.

I’d like to offer some pithy analysis here, but the facts speak for themselves and do not need further comment.