Report: Girls are hit harder by war than boys

The report “State of the World’s Girls” is published in connection with Thursday being the UN’s International Day of the Girl.

It shows that there is a big difference in how the war affects children and young people, depending on whether they are girls or boys.

Especially when it comes to sexual and gender-based violence, girls are most at risk. 27 per cent of girls fear sexual abuse, compared to 17 per cent of boys, the report shows. In addition, 47 per cent of girls state that they eat less than they need, while 44 per cent of boys say the same. According to the report, this is because girls often eat last and least.

More emotional stress

Also when it comes to trauma, girls are most exposed. 58 per cent state that they experience emotional stress, compared to 49 per cent of boys.

The stress is linked to fear of violence, forced marriage and looting, and many girls struggle with insomnia.

– These findings show that protecting girls must be a top priority, says Secretary General of Plan International, Kari Helene Partapuoli, in a press release.

She points out that close to 120 million people are on the run due to war in Ukraine, Sudan and the Middle East, among others.

Many abuses in Sudan

– In Sudan alone, 5.8 million girls and women are refugees. In crises like this, we know that girls are particularly vulnerable to sexual violence, she says further.

An overview from the UN shows that almost 40 percent of abuses occur on the journey from Sudan, but around 60 percent occur in transit camps and the surrounding areas. Important measures include setting up water stations so that the girls do not have to walk far for water, according to the report.

The study includes close to 10,000 young people aged 15 to 24. They come from Colombia, Sudan, Ukraine, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Lebanon, Mozambique, Nigeria and the Philippines, as well as a country that cannot be named due to political sensitivity and due to Plan’s work in the country, according to the press release.