Pandemic forcing girls in south-east Asia and Pacific out of school and into marriage –study

Female children are seen as an economic burden, and tough times are setting back progress by a generation, gender equality charity says

Thousands of adolescent girls across south-east Asia and the Pacific are being forced to leave school and get married instead as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, a charity has warned, saying a generation of girls could be lost".

A new report by Plan International Australia highlighted the importance of secondary education for girls, and detailed the increased risk and long-term impacts of child, early and forced marriage in the region.