10 Million Futures
A urgent call to action to protect the futures of young women and girls.
The Report
“If we get help, many of us would go back to school, and we can achieve our dreams and become future leaders.”
Rachael, 17-year-old schoolgirl
The potential of young women to transform the long-term prosperity of their communities and societies is at significant risk of being lost if urgent action is not taken to protect them and their futures.
Key findings:
Young women’s ability to generate enough income to meet their own needs and support their families has been severely compromised by the economic shock created by the pandemic.
In Uganda, young women feel they must recover their financial independence and generate sustainable income to participate in household and community decision-making, leaving them side-lined and desperate.
Many girls are at risk of school dropout and early marriage because of school closures and the economic pressures created by the pandemic. They believe leaving school will mark the end of their dreams and hopes for the future.
Girls face increased risk of emotional, physical, and sexual harm and violence. Most of the threats to the safety of girls originate from no longer being in the protective environment that schools offer.
In Uganda, girls who used to attend boarding schools must now walk long distances unaccompanied to benefit from limited school reopening, exposing them to sexual harassment.
An increase in and exposure to domestic violence is widely reported.
Unplanned pregnancies have increased, as have the number of girls being forced into child marriage due to resource constraints.
