There are numerous days globally to commemorate a particular cause, event, or person. One such day falls on the 11th of October, the International Day of the Girl Child.
First celebrated in 2012, this day aims to reaffirm girls’ rights and encourage their empowerment (World Vision, 2023). This is especially important in the midst of various challenges faced by girls, including child poverty and malnutrition, deprivation of education, child marriages and several additional adversities (UNICEF, 2024).
But first, who is a girl?
A girl is a little bundle of joy giggling cheekily in her parents’ arms.
A girl is a big sister, who is only a toddler, very carefully holding her precious baby brother for the first time and giving him a gentle hug.
A girl is an innocent and curious new student learning how to recite her prayers for the first time.
A girl is a naive, wide-eyed 10 year old starting to learn about her body in the science class.
A girl is a brilliant 12 year old bursting with ideas and ambition for her future.
A girl is a sister helping her siblings with their homework, a daughter excited to match outfits with her mum during Khushiali, and a princess to her protective dad.
She is a supportive friend, a dedicated volunteer, a loving murid, and a beacon of love, bravery, kindness, intelligence, and potential.
Yet, despite their brilliance, not all girls are blessed with such privilege of safety, support, and the resources to live up to their potential. The girls of today are the women of tomorrow,
a significant part of the future, and they must not be taken for granted. That is why, this International Day of the Girl Child, seek to empower girls within the community, and if possible, those struggling with adversity.
The theme this year is “Girls’ Vision for the Future” (UNICEF, 2024). Studies have shown that despite numerous adolescent girls admitting they are unsatisfied with their lives, 80% of the girls in the research affirmed their hope of the near future being better (UNICEF, 2024). The vision of these girls is improvement, marked by hope, courage, and optimism, but everyone must join hands to make this vision a reality.
“If you educate a man, you educate an individual, but if you educate a woman you educate a family (nation).”
Ghanaian proverb
Attributed to Dr. James Emmanuel Kwegyir-Aggrey.
As the proverb above highlights, when a girl is uplifted, a family is uplifted, future generations are uplifted, a nation is uplifted. Empower girls around you by listening to them, amplifying their voices, giving them equal opportunities, trusting their abilities and supporting their causes when possible, including providing cleaner sanitation, better healthcare and better education, all which are worthy of your support where necessary.
Let us celebrate International Day of the Girl Child by appreciating and empowering the girls within our families, our Community and beyond. These are the girls who will uplift our future generations, our Community and the world.
