Nearly one in four childhoods worldwide are cut short by war, hunger and child marriage.
Save the Children's new index examines the key reasons why childhood ends too early for many children, and looks at the harsh realities faced by the most vulnerable, excluded children — including girls and refugees.
The report considers eight indicators to measure the end of childhood: child marriage (proportion of adolescent girls aged 15 to 19 who are married or in union), adolescent births, out-of-school children, child labour, displacement by conflict, under-5 mortality, malnutrition that stunts growth and child homicide.
Looking at 172 countries, the report found the hardest hit countries in West and Central Africa.