Every day in developing countries, 20,000 girls below age 18 give birth. Nine in 10 of these births occur within marriage or a union. This has consequences on the health, education, employment and rights of an untold millions of girls. What are the challenges of adolescent pregnancy, and what can we do to ensure girls have a healthy and safe transition into adulthood?

Sudan’s health sector is severely underfunded. One quarter of the population has no access to health facilities and only 19 % of primary health care facilities provide the minimum health care package. While 66 % of the functioning rural hospitals can provide basic emergency obstetric and neonatal care, less than half of them provide comprehensive emergency obstetric and neonatal care services needed to save mothers’ lives. 

Egypt has been in a state of transition, with many cabinet reshuffles and ministerial reorganizations. The political instability has led to economic hardship that continues to hamper development, with a particular impact on the labour market. The unemployment rate in 2012 was 12.6 per cent. However, the rate was higher among women (24.1 per cent) than men (9.2 per cent). The unemployment rate among young people aged 15-24 is 30 per cent.

This report is a clarion call to decision makers, parents, communities and to the world to end child marriage. It documents the current scope, prevalence and inequities associated with child marriage and highlights that by 2020, Some 142 million girls will be married by their 18th birthday if current trends continue. This translates into 14.2 million girls married each year, or 37,000 girls married each day. Child marriage jeopardizes girls’ rights and stands in the way of girls living educated, healthy and productive lives.