Life in Niger poses particular challenges to girls, such as those from the Matameye community in the Maradi region. According to a Unicef report, only around half of children between the ages of 7 and 16 go to school. More than a third of girls and young women between the ages of 15 and 19 were already pregnant or had children. The birth rate in Niger is 7.3 children per woman - the highest in the world. (Image: Heribert Wettels)