With the right tools and resources, girls have the potential to achieve great success. However, many girls in the developing world are undernourished, missing out on an education, and subjected to violence. In recognition of the unique challenges faced by girls, the UN established Day of the Girl Child in 2011.
This October 11th, the global community is urged to look at the progress made for girls since the establishment of the Millennium Development Goals in 2000. Today, more girls are in school, less girls are being married before the age of 18, and more young women are growing up to be successful businesswoman and agents of their own change. However, there is still a lot of progress to be made. In order for girls to receive full and equal rights and opportunities, we must strive to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and create complete equality for girls by 2030. The International Day of the Girl Child raises awareness about the importance of girls and adolescents across the globe with the theme “The Power of the Adolescent Girl: Vision for 2030.”
In order to achieve success we must focus on making sure every girl:
● receives an education
● has access to health care
● is free from violence
● is not at risk of early child marriage or female genital mutilation
In order to achieve equality by 2030, we must put the focus on girls today, we must invest in their futures, and we must keep them safe from harmful practices that are pervasive around the globe. That’s why The Hunger Project seeks to improve the status of and end discrimination against girls, promote girl’s education and halt child marriage. In Bangladesh, our community partners celebrate the importance of National Girl Child day with campaigns, rallies and marches. A crucial element of the National Girl Day Strategy is to fully involve Bangladesh’s rural population, the vast majority of the country’s people, with celebrations at the local level and throughout every school.
This Day of the Girl Child, celebrate the importance of girls and adolescence. They are the future. They will lead the world.
Learn more:
Infographic of “The Life of a Girl in the Developing World”
Video: The link between child marriage and malnutrition