2024: A tough year for girls with a pivotal year ahead
20 December 20242024 has been a challenging year for girls, with new and existing humanitarian crises escalating and rollbacks on girls' rights threatening to destabilise hard-won gains. But we will continue to fight for girls with a renewed urgency over the next year, writes Kathleen Sherwin, Chief Strategy and Engagement Officer at Plan International.
Razan from Jordan at the United Nations European Headquarters. Image credit: Plan International / Antoine Tardy.
2024 has marked a year of unprecedented global political change.
A staggering 4 billion people, nearly half of the world’s population, have been part of the electoral process in over 60 countries, including the European Parliament. This massive participation has led to a shift towards more conservative governments, altering political agendas on issues ranging from conflict to climate change to economic recovery.
These political shifts are already having profound consequences for global humanitarian and development efforts. Key donors—including the UK, Sweden, Norway, France, the Netherlands, and Germany—have announced significant cuts to foreign aid, jeopardising support for the world’s most vulnerable people. Additionally, policies like the Mexico City Policy, which imposes restrictions on recipients of U.S. global health assistance, continue to threaten sexual and reproductive health rights worldwide, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
Girls remain excluded and marginalised
Amid these challenges, the regression of girls’ rights has emerged as one of the most pressing yet overlooked global issues. Girls remain one of the most excluded and marginalised groups worldwide, denied opportunities and protections simply for being both young and female. Their lives are shaped by intersecting inequalities that make them particularly vulnerable to violence, discrimination, and deprivation.
The stakes are monumental and the time for action is now. Investing in girls’ well-being is not only the right thing to do, but it makes economic sense, too. Without decisive action between now and 2035, the world risks losing $20.5 trillion in potential gains across critical areas such as education, health, employment, and gender equality.
The numbers are stark – to give just a few examples:
- 640 million women and girls alive today were married as children.
- Female genital mutilation (FGM) affects 230 million girls and women in 31 countries, and alarmingly, the practice has increased by 15% in the past eight years.
- Each year, 21 million pregnancies occur among 15- to 19-year-olds in low- and middle-income countries, half of which are unintended.
Humanitarian crises exacerbate these vulnerabilities. In 2024, one in five children fleeing conflict is a girl. An estimated 300 million people require humanitarian assistance this year, with crises such as conflict, climate disasters, and economic instability disproportionately affecting girls and young women.
Together, these factors mean the road to gender parity remains a distant goal. At the current rate of progress, it will take 131 years for girls and women to achieve equality.
At the current rate of progress, it will take 131 years for girls and women to achieve equality.
A year of setbacks
2024 has been particularly challenging for girls and women worldwide as policy rollbacks, political inaction, and intensifying conflicts have threatened their rights. To name just a few:
- Globally, restrictive policies continue to limit access to essential healthcare and education for girls and women.
- In Poland, hopes for progress on reproductive rights under the new government have faltered as promises to reform the near-total abortion ban within 100 days remain unfulfilled.
- In Afghanistan, girls and women face severe restrictions on education, employment, and freedom of movement, rolling back decades of progress.
- In Iraq, a proposed law threatens to legalise child marriage, putting countless girls at risk.
- In Sudan, conflict has fuelled a rise in gender-based violence, compounding the already dire situation for women and girls.
- In Gaza, women and children have faced an onslaught of violence with most of the conflict’s verified victims being women and children.
Around the world, access to sexual and reproductive health rights remains precarious. South Korea continues to block access to safe abortion services, while countries like El Salvador enforce total abortion bans alongside high rates of femicide. Even in multilateral spaces, the fight for gender justice faces significant headwinds. At the Commission on the Status of Women, negotiations increasingly reflect the clash between advocates for gender equality and a growing conservative, anti-rights agenda.
Where there is darkness, there is light
Despite this, against the odds, 2024 has brought moments of progress that offer hope for the future. For example:
- In July, the Gambian parliament upheld a ban on FGM, reaffirming a commitment to protecting girls from harmful practices.
- In Sierra Leone, a bold new law prohibits child marriage under all circumstances, making it a criminal offense.
- Colombia followed suit last month by outlawing child marriage.
- On International Women’s Day, France enshrined abortion as a constitutional right, demonstrating the power of government action in safeguarding women’s health and autonomy.
On the global stage, the outcome document of the United Nations Summit for the Future placed gender equality at its core, highlighting the critical role of empowering women and girls in sustainable development. The Pact for the Future recognised the unique challenges faced by adolescent girls, particularly sexual and gender-based violence and committed to their meaningful participation in decision-making. The text also incorporates anti-discrimination principles, ensuring marginalised groups are not left behind.
At COP29, despite setbacks in climate finance, women, girls, children and youth were recognised as key stakeholders in climate solutions. The adoption of the enhanced 10-year Lima Work Programme, which emphasises gender- and age-disaggregated data, offers a promising path for more inclusive climate policies. These wins highlight that, even in challenging times, change is possible.
What’s next for 2025?
As we approach 2025, the fight for girls’ rights is as urgent as ever. It demands immediate and sustained action. Global leaders must prioritise the unique needs and perspectives of girls in policies and programs, ensuring their voices are heard at every level. International systems like the United Nations must champion girls’ rights and amplify their leadership.
It’s crucial that harmful narratives and anti-rights movements are countered. This requires strong public support for gender equality.
Girls and young women must also be given the chance to lead. Investing in their education, leadership, and advocacy strengthens their communities and builds a more equitable world for all. At the same time, it’s crucial that harmful narratives and anti-rights movements are countered. This requires strong public support for gender equality. We will be watching with interest the impacts of incoming administrations, including the US, and the consequences they will have on girls’ lives.
Governments must be held accountable for their commitments to international standards and agreements such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, that aim to improve the lives of girls everywhere.
2024 has been a tough year for girls, but it has also revealed moments of courage, resilience, and hope. These moments remind us that progress is possible — but only if we continue to fight for it.
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