Child, early and forced marriage A/RES/77/202 confine married women and girls to the home, and that educational possibilities and opportunities are directly related to the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls and the full enjoyment of all their human rights, women’s employment and economic opportunities and their full, effective, equal and meaningful participation in economic, social and cultural development, governance and decision-making, Acknowledging that, during the COVID-19 pandemic, girls, particularly adolescents, including those who are among the poorest, those living in rural and remote areas and those in vulnerable situations, are at particular risk of dropping out and not returning to school even as education facilities reopen, thereby increasing their vulnerability to poverty, child, early and forced marriage, all forms of violence, including sexual violence, and early pregnancy, Noting with concern that, owing to school closures, the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the digital divides, both between and within countries, including the gender digital divide and vast disparities in the availability of learning materials, including access to the Internet and communication devices, particularly for rural and remote communities, while recognizing that with the increased reliance on virtual learning, many schools, especially in developing countries, lack adequate technology and equipment to provide online teaching, which leads to limited access or lack of access to quality education for many children, particularly girls, further increasing their vulnerability to child, early and forced marriage, Recognizing that although digital technologies can offer increasing opportunities and benefits, the increased reliance on virtual learning and the challenges faced by children in accessing the Internet and digital devices, including lack of equipment and digital literacy skills, can limit access to quality education and increase inequalities between and within countries, with internally displaced children, refugees, migrants, those living in humanitarian situations as well as those with disabilities and those living in rural and remote areas and from the poorest households being the most affected, Noting with concern that, despite gains in providing access to education, girls are still more likely than boys to remain excluded from primary and secondary education, and recognizing that the attendance of girls at school can be affected by negative perceptions of menstruation and lack of means to maintain safe personal hygiene, such as water, sanitation and hygiene facilities in schools that meet the needs of girls, Recognizing that child, early and forced marriage remains a serious threat to multiple aspects of the physical and psychological health of women and girls, including but not limited to their sexual and reproductive health, significantly increasing the risk of early, frequent and unintended pregnancy, maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity, obstetric fistula and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV and AIDS, as well as increasing vulnerability to all forms of violence, Recognizing also that the incidence and risk of child, early and forced marriage are highly exacerbated during humanitarian emergencies, situations of forced displacement, armed conflict, public health emergencies and natural disasters because of various factors, including insecurity, increased risks of sexual and gender-based violence, the misconception of providing protection through marriage, gender inequality, lack of access to continuous, inclusive and equitable quality education, the stigmatization of pregnancy outside marriage, the absence of family planning services, disruption in social networks and routines, increased poverty and the absence of livelihood opportunities, and that this requires increased attention, appropriate protection measures and coordinated action by relevant stakeholders, with the full and meaningful participation of the women and girls affected, from the early 22-28917 5/13