UNESCO's 2026 Gender Report was released by the organization on October 8, 2026, marking International Day of the Girl (October 11).
Progress Since 2015
Since 2015, 50 million more girls have enrolled in schools globally. Completion rates rose from 86 to 89 percent in primary school, from 74 to 79 percent in lower secondary, and from 54 to 61 percent in upper secondary. Yet 122 million girls still do not attend school worldwide.
Parity Masks Deep Inequalities
In Angola, gender parity exists among wealthy households for upper secondary completion, but only 30 girls per 100 boys from the poorest households complete this level. In India, urban areas show parity, yet rural areas lag at 59 girls per 100 boys. The percentage of girls married before age 18 fell from 25 percent in 2000 to 18 percent in 2025, but remains at 25 percent in Central Asia and South Asia, and 31 percent in Sub-Saharan Africa. An estimated 6 million pregnant adolescents and young mothers aged 10 to 19 in Sub-Saharan Africa do not attend school; fewer than 5 percent return. Financial constraints, stigma, and lack of practical support continue blocking girls from completing their education.
Countries Leading the Way
Nepal narrowed a 33-percentage-point gap in lower secondary completion between girls and boys between 1990 and 2024. In Cambodia, girls went from 22 points behind boys in primary completion in 1981 to 11 points ahead in 2024. Saudi Arabia reduced its higher education gender gap by three quarters between 2006 and 2022. Building girl-friendly schools in Burkina Faso increased overall enrollment by 19 percentage points, with larger gains for girls.
The Cost of Child Marriage
According to UN Women, one in five girls globally is married before age 18. More than 12 million girls marry each year. Investments in girls' education, legal reforms, and social protection have prevented an estimated 68 million child marriages over the past 25 years. UN Women called on governments, civil society, and business to enforce protective laws, keep girls in school, and reach the most vulnerable.
Return Policies Now in 15 More Countries
Zambia's Ministry of Education introduced revised school return guidelines in March 2026 for girls after pregnancy, supported by the Our Rights, Our Lives, Our Future program. Diana Phiri from Zambia's Eastern Province became pregnant at 17 and left school; under the new policy she passed her Class 12 exam with distinction, earned a scholarship, and now studies business and marketing, graduating in 2029. Eswatini launched similar support. The Central African Republic, Tanzania, Cameroon, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sierra Leone, and Togo have ended education bans for married or pregnant girls and women. Sixteen Sub-Saharan countries have now adopted or strengthened return policies for young mothers in school.