According to a recent report by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), Sub-Saharan Africa has been identified as one of the most dangerous regions for girls worldwide. The region holds the highest number of victims, with an estimated 79 million girls and women, or 22%, affected by sexual violence.
Globally, approximately 370 million girls and women have experienced sexual violence, with around one in five victims in Sub-Saharan Africa reporting abuse before the age of 18. Other regions facing high numbers include Eastern and South-Eastern Asia (75 million victims), Central and Southern Asia (73 million), and Europe and Northern America (68 million). In regions such as Oceania, the proportion of affected women and girls is as high as 34%.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell expressed grave concern, stating, “Sexual violence against children is a stain on our moral conscience.”
This data, gathered from national statistics and surveys between 2010 and 2022, sheds light on the widespread nature of the crisis, despite challenges related to underreporting.
Nankali Maksud, a regional child violence specialist based in Nairobi, emphasized the profound and lasting effects of such abuse on survivors, calling it “generations of trauma.” She highlighted the difficulty survivors face in accessing education, with many girls who have been assaulted struggling to focus and learn in school environments.
Regions embroiled in conflict and insecurity, like Sudan, face some of the highest rates of sexual violence. Aid agencies are increasingly concerned about the rising risks women and girls encounter in these areas due to ongoing violence and instability.
This report underscores the urgent need for greater protections and support for girls, particularly in regions where conflict exacerbates their vulnerability to abuse.
