International Day of the Girl
The United Nations theme conveys both the need for urgent action and persistent hope, driven by the power of girls' voïces and vision for the future.
Recognising how girls around the world are affected becuase of their sex.
The current generation of girls is significantly impacted by global challenges such as climate change, conflict, poverty, and setbacks to the hard-earned progress in human rights and gender equality. Many girls continue to be denied their rights, which constrains their choices and hinders their potential.
Adolescent Pregnancies
An estimated 21 million girls aged 15-19 years in developing regions become pregnant and approximately 12 million of them give birth, annually.
This translates to over 30,000 births each day.
About 2 million births occur to girls under 15 annually.
These pregnancies often result from early or forced marriages, lack of access to contraception, and sexual violence.
Child Marriages
In 2021, the estimated global number of child brides was 650 million.
The practice of child marriage is closely associated with lower educational attainment, early pregnancies, intimate partner violence, maternal and child mortality, increased rates of sexually transmitted infections, intergenerational poverty, and the disempowerment of married girls.
Climate Crisis
Gender inequality coupled with the climate crisis is one of the greatest challenges of our time. It poses threats to ways of life, livelihoods, health, satety and security for women and girls around the world. 3
Health risks: girls face increased vulnerability to malnutrition, diseases, infections and unsafe living conditions during climate disasters.
Education: climate-induced poverty often forces families to pull girls out of school to save money or help with household responsibilities.
Gender-based violence: girls are at higher risk of sexual violence, exploitation, and trafficking during crises and displacement.
Gender Inequality
Girls aged 5-14 spend 160 million more hours every day on unpaid care and domestic work than boys of the same age, worldwide.
Adolescent girls continue to account for 3 in 4 new HIV infections among adolescents.
Nearly 1 in 5 girls are still not completing lower-secondary and nearly 4 in 10 girls are not completing upper-secondary school today.
Future for our Girls
With the right support, resources and opportunities, the potential of the world's more than 1.1 billion girls is limitless. And when girls lead, the impact is immediate and wide reaching: families, communities and economies are all stronger, our future brighter. 3
Champion girls' rights: Advocate for equal rights for girls in all areas, including education, healthcare, and legal protections.
Stay informed: Regularly follow credible news sources and reports on gender equality, climate change, and social justice issues to understand the challenges girls face globally and locally.
These issues are not confined to low- and middle-income countries.
While they may be more prevalent in certain regions, disparities faced by girls can occur in our own communities as well. Factors like lack of access to education, healthcare, and protection from violence are universal challenges. It's essential to recognise that girls in every part of the world, including our neighbourhoods, can face similar struggles. By staying informed and engaged, we can work towards solutions that support girls everywhere.
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