Marit Maij· S&D

Nuanced

70% of girls who become pregnant at a young age stop school early.

Omissions

• The 70% figure primarily applies to sub-Saharan Africa and developing regions, not universally across all countries
• UNESCO analysis indicates that among girls who drop out due to pregnancy, less than 5% return to school in some regions
• The statistic varies widely by country and socioeconomic context
• The MEP could not have known sources published after 2026-02-11, though the data itself is from earlier periods

Sources

• PrimaryUNESCO - Education sector response to early and unintended pregnancy (STEP UP Report)In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), early and unintended pregnancy leads to a colossal loss of educational opportunities for girls: A high proportion of pregnancies to adolescent girls result in school dropout
• PrimaryUNESCO - Supporting the Education and Health of Young Mothers in AfricaUNESCO analysis found that among girls who drop out of school because of pregnancy, less than five per cent return, implying early pregnancy causes permanent educational interruption for 95%+ of affected girls in Africa
• PrimaryUNFPA - Motherhood in Childhood ReportNearly half of first births to adolescents are to child mothers aged 17 years and younger; adolescent pregnancy is a major cause of school dropout in developing countries