On October 11, the International Day of the Girl seeks to bring awareness and solutions to the unique challenges that girls around the world face every day.
From the moment a child is born, she can grow up to be a scientist, author, business leader, mother, teacher or anything she may choose to be. Providing her with healthy options, education, and resources to make her own choices means removing some of the obstacles she faces.
Depending on where she lives, a young girl’s challenges will vary and how we approach addressing those issues will change. During International Day of the Girl, join the global call to action. Create real solutions; listen to the aspiration of young women; mentor someone who will someday overcome the challenges she faces.
International Day Of The Girl Child History
In 1995 at the World Conference on Women, nearly 30,000 people from approximately 200 countries arrived in Beijing, China. It was the fourth such world conference. During it, the attendees developed the most comprehensive platform for advancing women’s rights around the world.
In 2011, the United Nations declared October 11th as International Day of the Girl Child due to the advocacy seen around the world. The UN encourages increased activism.
Background
In 1995 at the World Conference on Women in Beijing countries unanimously adopted the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action – the most progressive blueprint ever for advancing the rights of not only women but girls. The Beijing Declaration is the first to specifically call out girls’ rights.
On December 19, 2011, United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 66/170 to declare October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child, to recognize girls’ rights and the unique challenges girls face around the world.
The International Day of the Girl Child focuses attention on the need to address the challenges girls face and to promote girls’ empowerment and the fulfilment of their human rights.
Adolescent girls have the right to a safe, educated, and healthy life, not only during these critical formative years, but also as they mature into women. If effectively supported during the adolescent years, girls have the potential to change the world – both as the empowered girls of today and as tomorrow’s workers, mothers, entrepreneurs, mentors, household heads, and political leaders. An investment in realising the power of adolescent girls upholds their rights today and promises a more equitable and prosperous future, one in which half of humanity is an equal partner in solving the problems of climate change, political conflict, economic growth, disease prevention, and global sustainability.
Girls are breaking boundaries and barriers posed by stereotypes and exclusion, including those directed at children with disabilities and those living in marginalized communities. As entrepreneurs, innovators and initiators of global movements, girls are creating a world that is relevant for them and future generations.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by world leaders in 2015, embody a roadmap for progress that is sustainable and leaves no one behind.
Achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment is integral to each of the 17 goals. Only by ensuring the rights of women and girls across all the goals will we get to justice and inclusion, economies that work for all, and sustaining our shared environment now and for future generations.
