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On International Women’s Day, help us fight for the right to education for the thousands of girls in Kenya who have been forced out of school after experiencing sexual violence, leading to early and unintended pregnancy:
- 32% of women aged 18-24 have reported experiencing sexual violence when they were a child
- 3 out of 10 of those girls became pregnant
- 98% of girls who have ever been pregnant are out of school
We have come a long way since the first International Women’s Day in the early 1900s, but there are still injustices we need to eradicate. This is one such injustice.
The Right to Education Initiative wanted to understand what is happening and why, so together with Hakijamii, a Kenyan human rights organisation, we launched an investigation.
This photo essay is the culmination of interviews with government officials, policy experts, human rights activists and the girls themselves. It identifies systemic failings in the education system, uncovers the barriers to returning to school—including stigmatisation, school fees, and lack of childcare—and recommends actions to ensure girls’ human rights are respected.
Please read and share the report with your networks, advocate for these girls and urge the government to take action.