Over 11 million girls may never go back to school after pandemic: Unicef

As the world enters the third year of Covid-19 pandemic, “true” recovery must be gender equal, Unicef said in a statement on International Women’s Day today.
“COVID-19 is devastating the lives of girls. Ongoing school closures, economic stress, and service disruptions are putting the health, wellbeing, and futures of the most vulnerable girls at risk,” the statement said.
Globally, over 11 million girls may never go back to school after the pandemic and an additional 10 million girls are at risk of child marriage over the next decade, it added.
Two million additional cases of female genital mutilation may occur, Unicef said quoting UNFPA.
The world celebrates the remarkable achievements of women and girls on this day, “but the fight for gender equality is far from over”, the statement said.
“Indeed, even before Covid-19, gender inequality persisted as the most widespread and significant injustice of our time. But this injustice has been multiplied by the impacts of the pandemic,” Unicef said.
As lockdowns force children to spend more time in their homes, girls are shouldering more of the household labour. Many are forced into close quarters with an abuser, separated from the services and communities that help protect them. Gender-based violence, including sexual violence, is on the rise, the statement
mentioned.
“We cannot let a generation of girls bear the cost of this pandemic for the rest of their lives. As we work toward a post-pandemic era, girls must be at the centre of global, national, and local pandemic response and recovery plans,” Unicef said.
That means keeping schools open to allow girls to resume their education, and investing in resources to help those who have fallen behind catch up.
“It means reinvesting in girls’ health and education, including in their sexual and reproductive health and rights, and improving girls’ access to quality menstrual health and hygiene services,” it added.
“On International Women’s Day, let’s commit to a girl-focused COVID-19 recovery that helps create a more just and equal post-pandemic world for girls, and a brighter, more peaceful and prosperous future for us all.”