International Day of the Girl Child

Rhidheema Rathnakar

19th October 2020

The world celebrates October 11 as the International day of the Girl Child, every year, as a date assigned by the United Nations. For this auspicious day, the theme chosen for the year 2020 was ‘My voice, our equal future’. When asked what this theme meant, the UN replied that this theme would focus on the gap existing between the genders, keenly listening to the girls’ dreams and aspirations, and so on.

International day of the girl child (Source: United Nations)

The UN has also launched a ‘Generation Equality’ campaign and claims the girl child’s day to be as significant as this one. It is a “Multi- year, multi-partner campaign and movement for bold action on gender equality. Support girls. Listen to girls. Help girls realize their dreams,” said Henrietta H. Fore, the executive director of UNICEF, in a tweet.

This day also highlights a girl’s needs and the problems she can face, and how we can drive constant efforts to meet her needs and stand up for their rights, in unity and partnership. To inaugurate the day, the WHO co-organized a virtual intergenerational dialogue between girl advocates and high-level leaders. Furthermore, they also talked about putting girls and their rights at the centre of the decision-making processes.

Lubinda, a fifteen-year-old advocate from Zambia, showed the most significant sentiment on the event. She expressed her views by saying, “If every child can be given the chance to express themselves and talk about issues that are affecting them, then we can have a wide range of voices being represented. At the same time, we have to be equipped with the knowledge, because without it, we will not be able to participate.”

“We want new policies that allow girls to speak up every day, and not just on special days that mark an international movement,” said a seventeen-year-old, Rea, from Kosovo. “Teenage girls are the new leaders of our time, creating global movements for change. They are ready for the challenge.” A twenty-year-old student from Manipal Institute of Communication said, “Girls are always taught about their responsibilities and duties since a young age while the discrimination that they have to face in all aspects of life is entirely ignored.”

On this International #DayOfTheGirl, let’s stand together with them and for them” quoted UN chief Antonio Guterres, as reported by Republic World.WHO also addressed the barrier this pandemic has created with the efficiency of work. In addition, the WHO promised to set a clear agenda and a multi-pronged approach, which is essential to look after adolescent girls’ needs.

(Sources: WHO, UN, Republic World)

Edited by: Keyuri