DHAKA, March 9 (Xinhua) -- Bangladesh has the highest child marriage rate in Asia, with 51 percent of women, now aged 20-24, got married before 18.

A report "Girl Goals: What Has Changed for Girls? Adolescent Girls' Rights Over 30 Years," conducted by UNICEF, has revealed the information.

Adolescent girls in Bangladesh continue to face challenges, particularly in child marriage and gender disparities, according to the report.

Despite global progress in investing in girls, Bangladesh has continued to struggle with deeply rooted gender inequalities, limiting opportunities for adolescent girls in education, employment, and safety, it said.

While life expectancy, healthcare, and education have improved in some areas, adolescent girls in Bangladesh remain significantly disadvantaged.

Girls and young women aged 15-24 are twice as likely as boys to be out of education, employment, or training. Alarmingly, 28 percent of adolescent girls aged 15-19 have experienced physical or sexual violence from a partner in the past year.

"The barriers that adolescent girls face in Bangladesh continue to hold them back from realizing their potential," said Rana Flowers, UNICEF representative in Bangladesh.

"We must break these barriers and create equal opportunities for all girls, empowering them to contribute to Bangladesh's development and prosperity," she added.

Despite challenges, Bangladesh has made progress in health, including a successful HPV vaccination campaign that covered 93 percent of eligible girls, protecting them from cervical cancer.

The report called for immediate policy changes to close gaps in education, skills development and digital literacy.