The International Day of the Girl Child is observed annually on October 11 with the goal of empowering girls and amplifying their voices globally. This is to highlight the potential and strength of girls. It also emphasizes how crucial it is to provide females with similar chances and fair playing fields so that they may perform on par with, if not better than, boys.
On this day, the UN, other organizations, advocacy groups, and individuals all across the world reaffirm their opposition to violence, child marriage, rape, ill health, and obstacles to girls’ education.
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2022 Theme
The theme chosen by UNICEF for the International Day of Girl Child this year is ‘Our Time Is Now — Our Rights, Our Future.’ The year 2022 also marks the 10th anniversary of the International Day of the Girl. It’s a hopeful sign that over the past 10 years, things have improved somewhat for girls as more attention is paid to issues that matter to them.
History and Significance
The United Nations General Assembly on December 19, 2011 adopted Resolution 66/170 to declare October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child. Since then, every year, the day is to recognize girls’ rights and the unique challenges they face all over the world.
The International Day of the Girl Child focuses on the need to focus on issues that hinder a girl child’s growth and promote girls’ empowerment and human rights.
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Despite the progress made in the past 10 years, investment in girls’ rights remains limited and girls continue to face hurdles that nip their potential. These challenges have made worse by crises like climate change, COVID-19, and humanitarian conflicts.
In short, girls are ready for their time in the sun. The world should back the other — some say better — half of the population and believe in their abilities, leadership, and potential.
