The world has made major progress towards gender equality in education over the past decades, with as many girls as boys now enrolled in schools from pre-primary through to secondary education. However, too many girls still face barriers to accessing, completing and thriving in school. Gender equality is a global priority for UNESCO, and we are mobilized with governments and partners around the world to protect girls' right to education and expand opportunities for all.
Khaled El-EnanyUNESCO Director-General
Despite progress, gender inequalities persist in schools
The 2026 UNESCO Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Gender Report, published on the occasion of the International Day of the Girl Child (11 October), shows that countries around the world have made significant progress towards gender parity in education. Nepal closed a 33-percentage-point gap in lower secondary completion between girls and boys from 1990 to 2024. Saudi Arabia cut its tertiary enrolment gap by three quarters from 2006 to 2022. In Cambodia, girls went from 22 points behind boys in primary completion in 1981 to 11 points ahead in 2024. Costa Rica's upper secondary completion gap favouring girls narrowed from 12 to 7 points between 2011-17 and 2018-24.
However, average values hide gender gaps in rural areas and among poor households. In Angola, while there is gender parity among the richest households, only 30 girls among the least privileged households complete upper secondary education for every 100 boys. In India, while parity has been achieved in urban areas, only 59 girls completed upper secondary education for every 100 boys in rural areas.
Child marriage and early pregnancy hinder progress in girls' education
UNESCO's new report shows that while gender parity in enrolment has been achieved globally from pre-primary through upper secondary education, early marriage and motherhood are major obstacles for girls to complete their education.
Globally, the share of girls married before age 18 fell from 25% in 2000 to 18% in 2025, but it remains at 25% in Central and Southern Asia and 31% in sub-Saharan Africa. An estimated 6 million pregnant and young mothers aged 10-19 were out of school in sub-Saharan Africa in 2024, and fewer than 5% of pregnant and parenting girls in the region return to school.
Working with UNESCO, several countries have taken steps towards the full realization of the right to education of pregnant and parenting girls. For instance, the Central African Republic, the United Republic of Tanzania, Cameroon, São Tomé and Principe, Sierra Leone, and Togo have put an end to bans on education for married, pregnant and parenting girls and women. Recent data shows that nine in ten Eastern and Southern African countries surveyed have implemented policies for pregnant and parenting adolescents to continue or resume their education.
According to UNESCO data, in 2026, 58% of countries guarantee the right to education without discrimination based on sex or gender in their legal framework, but only 35% explicitly protect the right to education of pregnant and parenting girls.
Financial and societal obstacles add up to the challenge
The report warns that despite progressive policies, financial constraints, stigma and a lack of practical support continue to prevent many girls from completing their studies.
A girl may be legally entitled to return to school after pregnancy, but unable to afford transport, find childcare, use suitable water and sanitation facilities, travel safely or overcome stigma at school. In Burkina Faso, building girl-friendly schools raised enrolment by 19 percentage points overall, with larger gains for girls.
UNESCO's action for gender equality in and through education
UNESCO promotes gender equality in and through education by supporting countries through policy advice, technical assistance, capacity development, data and monitoring, normative guidance, partnerships and country-level programmes.
Through its Our Rights, Our Lives, Our Future programme, UNESCO has worked with Ministries of Education across 35 countries to expand comprehensive sexuality education, helping millions of young people make informed decisions for their lives and future.
In Afghanistan, where an estimated 2.4 million girls and women remain deprived of their fundamental right to education, UNESCO offers alternative pathways to learning through community-based education, literacy and skills development programmes, as well as psychosocial support.
Through UNESCO's Her Education, Our Future initiative, the Organization also produces and shares data and evidence to help inform sound policies, facilitates cooperation, joint action and partnerships, and supports girls and women to gain greater agency through education.
To mark the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child, UNESCO will host at its Headquarters on 9 October the award ceremony for the 2026 UNESCO Prize for Girls' and Women's Education, recognizing two laureates for their innovative contributions to advancing girls' and women's education. Established in 2015 and funded by the Government of the People's Republic of China, the Prize is awarded annually to two laureates, each receiving US $50,000 to further their work.
