Sub-Sahara Africa most dangerous for girls-UNICEF

The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has highlighted that Sub-Saharan Africa ranks among the most perilous regions for girls worldwide. A recent report shared via its X account on Thursday indicates that this area has the highest number of victims, with 79 million girls and women impacted, which accounts for 22% of the global total. This is followed by Eastern and South-Eastern Asia with 75 million affected (8%), Central and Southern Asia with 73 million (9%), Europe and Northern America with 68 million (14%), Latin America and the Caribbean with 45 million (18%), Northern Africa and Western Asia with 29 million (15%), and Oceania with 6 million (34%).

UNICEF estimates that approximately 370 million girls and women globally have experienced sexual violence, with nearly one in five girls in Sub-Saharan Africa facing abuse before reaching 18. UNICEF’s Executive Director, Catherine Russell, remarked, “Sexual violence against children is a stain on our moral conscience.”

The data, which draws from national statistics and international surveys conducted between 2010 and 2022, seeks to illuminate the extent of this crisis, despite challenges related to underreporting and data gaps.

Nankali Maksud, a regional child violence specialist based in Nairobi, underscored the long-lasting impacts of such abuse, describing it as “generations of trauma.” She noted that the trauma experienced by survivors significantly hampers developmental efforts, particularly in education. Maksud stated, “We’re working to ensure girls attend school, but a girl who has been raped or assaulted finds it difficult to focus on learning.”

Regions afflicted by conflict and insecurity, like Sudan, report the highest incidence of sexual violence, and humanitarian organizations have raised concerns about the increased risks faced by women and girls in these volatile environments.