Education for all girls: where are we today?
Education is a fundamental human right and a pillar of individual and societal development. Over the past 20 years, access to education has improved, but millions of children and young people remain excluded. Adolescent girls with disabilities face unique challenges with regard to staying in school, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
Approximately 63 million adolescents of lower secondary school age are out of school, nearly half of them in Asian and African countries. Adolescents are twice as likely to be out of school as younger children, reflecting the critical nature of adolescence – a period of transition in life and education when the risk of dropping out increases significantly.
International frameworks – such as the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), Sustainable Development Goal 4 and 5 (SDG 4 and SDG 5), the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, and the Pact for the Future, Global Digital Compact and Declaration on Future Generations, adopted at the 2024 UN Summit of the Future – emphasise inclusive, equitable and quality education, and gender equality. Yet, a significant gap remains between these commitments and the realities faced by girls with disabilities who are disproportionately excluded from education and often subjected to violence, stigma and discrimination.
Globally, children and youths with disabilities are significantly overrepresented among those out of school, and the disparities worsen in adolescence. In low- and middle-income countries, 40% of children with disabilities are out of primary school, and 55% are out of lower secondary school. Gender inequities compound these challenges: only 41.7% of girls with disabilities have completed primary school, compared with 50.6% of boys with disabilities and 52.9% of girls without disabilities. The intersection of age, gender and disability heightens the risk of dropping out or discontinuing education. This is particularly true when transitioning from one educational cycle to the next.
Indeed, without accessible environments and adapted support, moving from primary to secondary education, to vocational education and training, or to higher education, becomes especially challenging for children and youths with disabilities. Adolescent girls face added barriers, including gender-based violence, child, early and forced marriage, imposed domestic responsibilities, and inadequate hygiene facilities, making them even more vulnerable to dropping out. Tailored interventions are essential during this period to prevent exclusion and ensure continuity in education.
Education has a significant effect on individuals and their communities. For girls with disabilities, it improves self-esteem, life prospects and economic independence, while reducing reliance on caregivers and enhancing family well-being. Conversely, failure to educate girls, particularly those with disabilities, highlights systemic deficiencies in educational systems. Integrating intersectional perspectives into policies and practices is essential for addressing the specific barriers faced by adolescent girls with disabilities along the education continuum.
This factsheet draws on a qualitative study conducted by Handicap International- Humanity & Inclusion (HI) in Nepal, Rwanda, and Senegal from July to August 2024. The objective of the study was to understand the barriers to education experienced by adolescent girls with disabilities and to formulate advocacy messages to address these challenges. 117 rights holders were consulted, including 68 adolescents in Nepal, 19 in Rwanda, and 30 in Senegal. Rights holders are children and adolescents aged 11–19, both female and male, with and without disabilities, living in urban and rural areas where HI has a national programme presence. Of the 117 people interviewed, 85 were adolescent girls with disabilities. Additionally, parents were interviewed to provide further insights into the challenges faced by these girls. By amplifying their voices, this publication seeks to inform decision-making in the education, development, child protection, gender-based violence and disability sectors, ultimately advocating for more inclusive and equitable educational systems for all girls.