ISLAMABAD: In Pakistan, 44 out of 1,000 girls between the ages of 15 and 19 bear children, the country representative of the United Nations Population Fund said in a report launched recently.

The theme of ‘State of World Population Report 2016’ was: “How our common future depends on a girl at this pivotal age of 10”.

Dr Hassan Mohtashami, the country director of the United Nations Population Fund, speaking at the launch of the report said that if Pakistan had began focusing and investing in 10-year-old girls today, those children could become a beneficial part of the society. Sharing key findings of the report, he said 35pc of the total population of Pakistan is between the ages of 10 and 14, of which 2 million are 10 year old girls.

UNFPA global population report launched

Global findings show that girls are less likely than boys to complete their schooling and more likely to face forced marriage, child labour and other undermining practices, and may also undergo female genital mutilation.

Over half of the world’s 60 million 10 year old girls live in the 48 countries with the worst gender inequality. Up to $21 billion a year in dividends for developing countries can be unlocked if all 10-year-old girls complete secondary education.

The report claimed that practices that harm girls and violate their human rights starting at the age of 10 prevent them from realising their full potential as adults and from contributing to the economic and social progress of their communities and nations. Without their contribution, the UN Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and its accompanying 17 Sustainable Development Goals may never be achieved.

The report says that 10 is a pivotal age for girls everywhere as puberty approaches. In some parts of the world, a girl at this age enjoys limitless possibilities and begins making choices that will influence her education and later, her work life. In other parts, a girl who goes through puberty is suddenly seen as a commodity that may be bought, sold or traded. She may be forced to marry, pulled out of school and expected to start bearing children and begin a lifetime of servitude.

“Impeding a girl’s safe, healthy path through adolescence to a productive and autonomous adulthood is a violation of her rights,” UNFPA Executive Director Dr Babatunde Osotimehin said. “But it also takes a toll on her community and nation. Whenever a girl’s potential goes unrealized, we all lose.”

The report notes that of the 125 million 10-year-olds today, 60 million are girls who are systematically disadvantaged at the global level as they move through adolescence into adulthood. Girls are less likely than boys to complete formal schooling at the secondary and university levels, are more likely to be in poorer physical and mental health, and will find it harder to get paid jobs.

Global statistics

According to the report, nine out of 10 10-year-old girls live in development countries, and one in five lives in a least of developed country. One in five is in India and one in eight, in China.

Each year of education delivers an additional 11.7pc rise in wages in later life for girls (compared to 9.6pc for men). Yet, 16 million girls between 6 and 11 will never start school – twice the number for boys. Three in four girl labourers are unpaid, and 10pc of five to 14 year old girls do more than 28 hours of household chores per week – twice that of boys. An estimated 47,700 girls are married before the age of 18 every day.

Key recommendations

The report has recommended banning harmful practices, such as child marriage and providing cash transfers to parents of girls in poor households to help defray costs of schooling, and, thus keep girls in school longer.

It also suggested providing life skills training and age appropriate comprehensive sex education to girls approaching puberty.

Published in Dawn, October 23rd, 2016