Girls Are Not Brides, They Conquer the World
This was the theme of this year’s celebration of National Girl Child Day on September 30 in Bangladesh. The Hunger Project-Bangladesh, the National Girl Child Advocacy Forum and Bangladesh Shishu Academy marked the occasion, a part of Children’s Rights Week, with a colorful rally, a human chain and meetings in more than 500 locations throughout Bangladesh.
This year’s unified campaign for National Girl Child Day promoted the discussion of the critical importance of providing safety/security, better health, education and nutrition to girls. Honorable State Minister of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs (MoWCA), Meher Afroz Chumki, inaugurated the rally, with about 2,000 students, teachers, guardians, government and nongovernment officials in attendance. The Ministry of Women and Child Affairs and the National Girl Child Advocacy Forum organized the first-ever human chain throughout the country to call for girl child advancement in Bangladesh.
At the local level, National Girl Child Day was celebrated among people’s associations, NGOs and local governments, giving all Bangladeshis a chance to participate.
The Hunger Project-Bangladesh Country Director Dr. Badiul Alam Majumdar chaired a discussion meeting featuring chief guest Ms. Meher Afroz Chumki and special guests Mr. Tariq-ul-Islam (Secretary, MoWCA), Mr. Sheikh Abdul Ahad (Chairman, Bangladesh Shishu Academy), Ms. Mili Biswas (Deputy Inspector of Police, Dhaka Metropolitan Police), eminent singer Farida Parveen and Mt. Everest climber Wasfia Nazneen. The State Minister and the Secretary of MoWCA acknowledged the effort of the National Girl Child Advocacy Forum for organizing and celebrating National Girl Child Day every year successfully since 2000.
Secretary of the Girl Child Advocacy Forum and Hunger Project staff person, Nasima Akhter Joly, called for a national movement for the safety, security and advancement of girl children in Bangladesh, pointing out that while girls and women keep the home safe, nobody takes responsibility to protect them.
Awards were given to children aged 3-16 who participated in the essay and art competition, around the themes of family, school and girls’ relationship with nature.
Learn More
- Photos from the celebrations
- Learn more about Girls’ Empowerment
- The Hunger Project and National Girl Child Day
- Infographic: The Life of a Girl in the Developing World
October 3, 2013
