New World Vision report reveals girls’ daily struggles with violence, poverty and discrimination, but also hope for change
84% of girls expressed hope for a better future, yet 18% reported economic stress and 21% conflict and insecurity.
One in three worried about losing their education.
Nearly one in five described violence and abuse as the worst part of being a girl.
2 OCTOBER 2025 – A powerful new report from World Vision, Dreaming Out Loud, paints a vivid picture of the hopes, challenges, and resilience of over 400 adolescent girls across 51 countries. The findings reveal a generation determined to lead and contribute to their communities, even as poverty, harmful gender norms, violence, and conflict continue to rob too many of their futures.
Ahead of Day of the Girl on 11 October, the experiences of the girls in the report highlight just how fragile progress towards equal rights for girls remains and how urgently action is needed. In Niger, Hassana, 16, feared her parents might marry her off if she failed an exam. In Bolivia, Alejandra, 14, worried that rising prices would keep her out of school. Girls in DRC saw their gender as an advantage that protected them from forced recruitment into armed groups, while also sharing fears that being a girl meant they were at risk of being raped if they went to the fields.
Education was a common theme: 70% of girls spoke about school, with one in three fearing their education could be cut short due to poverty, child marriage, or conflict. As 16-year-old Viola from South Sudan explained, “If you are a girl and they have not taken you to school, your father can force you to marry someone who has more cows.”
“These girls dream of becoming doctors, engineers, leaders and changemakers,” said Gillian Barnett, World Vision Ireland CEO. “And they are clear that they are capable of achieving their dreams. But even in wealthier countries, they also say they are regularly underestimated and concerned about the threat of violence. For many girls, these dreams will remain out of reach unless we act. That’s why World Vision Ireland has launched the 100 Girls Campaign, a child sponsorship initiative aimed at supporting vulnerable girls through education, protection, and empowerment. We cannot continue to let poverty, violence, and harmful norms steal their childhoods and futures.”
Girls are not just at risk from negative gender stereotypes and social norms. They are also affected by rising global instability and crises. More than one in five girls surveyed specifically mentioned general insecurity, war, conflict, or community-level violence when talking about their lives, and a similar number, 18%, mentioned financial or economic worries.
However, the report also holds out some hope. More than two-thirds (71%) of girls expressed confidence in female leadership, challenging stereotypes and calling for representation. As Alesia, 14, from Albania put it: “A girl can be an amazing president or leader. Not just because she’s strong, but because she leads with heart, empathy, courage and vision.”
In Albania, Anika, 16, captured a common theme: “The best part of being a girl is the strength we carry. Even when we’re underestimated, we rise. There’s something powerful about being soft and strong at the same time.”
“These findings show us that girls are ready to lead change in their families and communities,” said Barnett. “World Vision is focused on advocating for their rights and supporting the most vulnerable girls in the places we work, but we need action from governments and donors to increase their investments in this area as well. When girls thrive, everyone benefits.”
World Vision Ireland is urging the Irish public to take action and stand with girls worldwide.
The 100 Girls Campaign is aimed at supporting 100 vulnerable girls living in some of the world’s most dangerous and challenging places, where they are often the first to lose access to education and the last to receive help.
“We’re inviting people across Ireland to sponsor a girl between now and International Day of the Girl on 11 October,” says Barnett. “Your sponsorship helps remove the barriers that hold her back, giving her access to education, protection, and the opportunities she deserves, so she can write her own future.”
ENDS
NOTES TO THE EDITOR
Media interviews are available with Gillian Barnett, CEO of World Vision Ireland, and other World Vision representatives. To arrange an interview, please contact Róisín Drayne at roisin.drayne@worldvision.ie.
Report available to download here: https://www.worldvision.ie/about/publications/dreaming-out-loud
About the Report
Dreaming out loud: Hopes and challenges facing girls around the world surveyed 432 adolescent girls across 51 countries between March and August 2025. Through interviews, video diaries and surveys, the study explored girls’ hopes, fears, and lived realities, supported by UN and World Bank data. While not nationally representative, the report offers a unique snapshot into the experiences and aspirations of girls living in diverse contexts — from conflict zones to high-income countries.
About World Vision
World Vision is a global Christian relief, development and advocacy organisation dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender. World Vision carries out lifesaving humanitarian efforts with investments from numerous partners, including institutional donors, faith-based organisations, corporations and governments. For more information, please visit www.worldvision.ie