UNICEF DATA - Child Statistics

Is an End to Child Marriage within Reach?

Conflicts, climate shocks, and the ongoing fallout from COVID-19 threaten to reverse progress made towards ending child marriage. Read our report to learn more about global trends, key data and future prospects to tackle the crisis.

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Joint Child Malnutrition Estimates 2023

The 2023 edition of the UNICEF-WHO-World Bank Joint Child Malnutrition Estimates report highlights a lack of significant progress in achieving global nutrition targets. With only one third of countries being on track to halve stunting among children by 2030, and even fewer expected to meet the target for overweight prevalence, the report emphasizes the urgency of intensified efforts and regular data collection to effectively monitor and address child malnutrition worldwide.

A Global Nutrition Crisis in Adolescent Girls and Women

“Undernourished and Overlooked” is the first-ever report to focus on the situation of nutrition of women and girls, and sheds light on the barriers they face in accessing nutritious diets, utilizing essential nutrition services and benefitting from positive care practices. Explore the latest data and evidence on the status, trends and inequities in the nutritional status of adolescent girls and women, and how investing in their nutrition can improve global outcomes.

Children and the Sustainable Development Goals

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We believe that consistent, credible data about children’s situations are critical to the improvement of their lives – and indispensable to realizing the rights of every child.

64 million

children of primary school age remain out of school

1 in 3

children under five live in severe food poverty

17.5 million

babies will be stillborn between now and 2030, if current trends remain constant

2.3 billion

people still lack a basic hand washing facility at home

12 million

girls were married in childhood in 2022

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Publications

Born too soon: decade of action on preterm birth

This report, jointly produced by the UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (PMNCH), looks to the future, setting an ambitious agenda to reduce the burden of preterm birth, by addressing factors outside of the health system that affect preterm birth; and, within health systems, by providing high-quality, respectful care for women and babies so that they can survive and thrive, no matter where they are born.

Publications

A Profile of Child Marriage in South Asia

Around 1 in 4 young women in South Asia were first married or in union before their 18th birthday. The region is home to around 290 million child brides, accounting for 45% of the global total. Acceleration is required to meet the target of eliminating child marriage by 2030; compared to the last decade, the rate of decline would need to be seven times faster. Read our report to gain a deeper understanding of the unique challenges the region faces.

Publications

Bridging the Gender Digital Divide

Most youth in low- and middle-income countries are not connected to the internet, have limited digital skills, and do not own a mobile phone. Adolescent girls and young women are especially disadvantaged: 9 out of 10 adolescent girls and young women are offline in low-income countries. Our report brings to light a pressing, multi-sectoral issue that requires urgent action from governments, the private sector, international organisations and civil society alike.

Publications

Mobilizing boys and men against female genital mutilation

Over 200 million women worldwide have undergone the traumatic experience of FGM. Despite this alarming number, an increasing number of men in practicing countries are now standing up against this harmful practice. In fact, our report reveals that, in most cases, mothers’ decisions are more likely to be respected than fathers’ decisions on this matter. Read more about the pivotal role that men can play in the decision-making process when it comes to FGM.

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