19m girls face partner violence before age 20 – WHO

An estimated 25 percent or one in four adolescent girls who have been in a relationship will experience physical or sexual violence from their partner before attaining age of 20, according to new research from the World Health Organisation, WHO.

This equates to approximately 19 million girls globally  noted the study, published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, that also found that nearly 16 percent of adolescent girls endured such violence within the past year alone.

The study draws on existing data to provide, for the first time, a detailed analysis of the prevalence of physical and/or sexual partner violence experienced by 15–19-year-old girls who have been in intimate relationships.

It also identifies broader social, economic and cultural factors that increase their risks.

Violence against adolescent girls is a global issue, but its prevalence varies widely. The WHO report highlights stark regional disparities, with Oceania and central sub-Saharan Africa experiencing the highest rates at 47 percent and 40 percent respectively.

In contrast, central Europe and central Asia report the lowest figures at 10 percent and 11 percent with a significant gap between countries, ranging from a low of 6 percent to a high of 49 percent of adolescent girls affected by partner violence.

The Director of WHO’s Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research Department, Dr Pascale Allotey, said, “Intimate partner violence is starting alarmingly early for millions of young women around the world. Given that violence during these critical formative years can cause profound and lasting harms, it needs to be taken more seriously as a public health issue – with a focus on prevention and targeted support.”

The Technical Officer for Violence Against Women Data and Measurement at WHO,

Dr Lynnmarie Sardinha, said,  “The study shows that to end gender-based violence, countries need to have policies and programmes in place that increase equality for women and girls.

“This means ensuring secondary education for all girls, securing gender-equal property rights and ending harmful practices such as child marriage, which are often underpinned by the same inequitable gender norms that perpetuate violence against women and girls.”

Currently, no country is on track to eliminate violence against women and girls by the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal target date. Ending child marriage – which affects 1 in 5 girls globally – and expanding girls’ access to secondary education will be critical factors for reducing partner violence against adolescent girls.