October 11, marks International Day of the Girl Child which recognises girls’ rights and the unique challenges girls face around the world. This day also focuses attention on the need to address the challenges girls face and to promote girls’ empowerment and the fulfillment of their human rights.
Under the theme With Her: A Skilled GirlForce, UNICEF reveals that of the 1 billion young people – including 600 million adolescent girls – that will enter the workforce in the next decade, more than 90% of those living in developing countries will work in the informal sector, where low or no pay, abuse and exploitation are common.
My take is that the girl child cannot be ready to take on the workforce if she is still trapped in a world that exploits and abuses her, forces her into early marriage, deprives her of opportunities to have an education or access to good health, subjects her to some form of discrimination and; makes her feel unsafe due to war or some of disaster.
We need to protect the girl child so that she can enjoy life in its fullness. As the UN Sec.Gen says, "On this International Day of the Girl, let us recommit to supporting every girl to develop her skills, enter the workforce on equal terms and reach her full potential. " — UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
These four powerful blogs written by three young girl leaders from Senegal, Brazil and Bangladesh, as well as a blog from Patricio Cuevas Parra from World Vision, inspire you to take action by promoting girls’ empowerment and making a promise to the girl child.
Fatou, 17 year old, young leader from Senegal: Stand with us. Help us ensure our protection
http://worldvisionadvocacy.org/2018/09/17/child-marriage-young-leader/?campaign=400000169&utm_source=AC&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=18OCT08_EM_ADV_QuarterlySendAll_400000169Melissa, 17 year old, young leader from Brazil: Girls, empowerment and identity https://www.wvi.org/it-takes-world/blogpost/girls-empowerment-and-identity
Samia, 15 year old, young leader from Bangladesh: My dream for the International Day of the Girl is to see our world free from child marriage https://www.wvi.org/child-participation/article/my-dream-international-day-girl-see-our-world-free-child-marriage
Patricio Cuevas-Parra: International Day of the Girl: A call to redouble our efforts to achieve gender equality https://www.wvi.org/it-takes-world/blogpost/international-day-girl-call-redouble-our-efforts-achieve-gender-equality
Through World Vision “It Takes the World” Campaign and Child Protection System Strengthening efforts, World Vision continues to work towards ensuring that children especially the girl child is empowered to speak out and protect herself against any form of abuse or exploitation.
Contact: Barbara Kalima-Phiri | Global Senior Advisor, Gender and Inclusion, World Vision International. | E-mail: barbara_kalima-phiri@wvi.org