International Day of the Girl Child is a chance to recognise, celebrate and support girls worldwide. It’s also an opportunity to bring greater awareness to the challenges that girls face, particularly girls living in poverty. While we’ve made progress towards gender equality, we’ve still got a long way to go.
What is the theme of International Day of the Girl Child in 2023?
A new theme is chosen for International Day of the Girl Child each year to reflect contemporary priorities and the pressing issues faced by women and girls. The theme for 2023 is “Invest in Girls’ Rights: Our Leadership, Our Well-being”.
In 2023, we’re witnessing a range ofmovements and actionsdetrimental to girls’ and women’s rights. Reports suggest that it could take another 300 years to close the global gender gaps. Around the world, girls and women are facing anti-feminist rhetoric and policies that threaten their legal protections. This includes increased restrictions over their sexual and reproductive health rightsand free speech. Inadequate protection prevents girls from fulfilling their dreams. Child marriage, for example, robsgirls as young as 12of their childhood and threatens their wellbeing.
This year’s theme speaks to moving forward in achieving gender equality. We need to invest in girls’ futures to reclaim and accelerate progress and empower them to reach their full potential.
Amplifying girls’ voices around the world
To mark International Day of the Girl Child, we’re taking a moment to amplify the voices of girls and young women across the communities in which we work. Despite setbacks – in some instances this includes being denied basic human rights (access to education, health, and safety) – all speak to the innate power and resilience of girls. With the right support there’s nothing girls can’t achieve!
Here’s what they had to say about girls’ rights and gender equality.
Girls like Hai (17) are speaking up for their rights.
“Many people hesitate to speak their mind because they are worried about how other people will react. But if you stay silent, people might never abandon their outdated prejudices. Let’s speak up at the right time, in the right place, to our girls.”– Hai, 17, Vietnam
“I want to become a businesswoman. Women can do business just like men – they just need to have the opportunity. I want to go on to higher education and study in the city. I am confident to live far away from my family to achieve my dreams. What boys can do, girls also can.”– Nita, 11, Cambodia
“Women can work, we don’t have to be dependent on others.” – Nhi, 11, Vietnam
Nhi (11) wants to earn a living to support herself and her family.
“It is critical that adults protect the child right to leisure, play, and culture for all of us as a collective. I am proud of myself to be able to do many things without fear of any obstacles. Both men and women have equal rights.” – Manyta, 15-years-old, Laos
“In the present day and age, we should be able to get rid of inequality in our society.”– Aliya, 16, Laos
“I’ve never seen a female village chief. I want to see a woman become my village chief to show that women have the same capacity as men.” – Rasmei, 10, Cambodia
“When I grow up, I want to be a brave and strong person. I don’t want to ever look down on anyone because everyone is different.” – Chenda, 12, Cambodia
An equal future: supporting the rights of girls everywhere
Rasmei (10) loves to read in her school library.
At ChildFund, we don’t believe that girls’ futures are set in stone at birth. Every girl should have the right to choose their own path, access education and live life on their own terms. We’re committed to supporting the rights of girls and promoting gender equality in the communities in which we work. This includes supporting female leadershipand championing positive female role models to inspire young girls to claim their rights and dream big! It also means a laser-focus on girls’ education.
Equal access to learning opportunities and resources is key to unlocking girls’ potential. Education helps break the cycle of poverty and create a brighter, more prosperous, future for all. Yet 130 million girls are denied an education worldwide. More still needs to be done to remove the barriers preventing girls accessing a quality education.
You can support equality for women and girls today
If you’d like to show your support for girls on International Day of the Girl Child, consider donating to our Girls’ Education Appeal. You will help girls in developing countries go to and stay in school by providing them with the learning supplies, resources and support needed to access a quality education.
And don’t forget to spread the word! Sharing information on social media or speaking with colleagues, friends or family about the challenges girls around the globe face can help raise awareness and promote equality. After all, starting a conversation is the first step to bringing about meaningful change.
Together, we can empower girls and help give voice to their needs.
Almost 130 million girls worldwide are denied an education. Many barriers prevent girls from going to school and realising their potential, including poverty, gender inequality, and war and conflict. A lack of education can negatively impact girls’ lives, and the welfare of entire societies.
What educating girls means
Girls with a quality education have greater opportunities to create a better future for themselves and their families. But how does education benefit more than just the individual? Here are a few ways everybody benefits when girls go to school and have access to a quality education:
Economic empowerment: Girls who finish secondary education earn almost twice as much as those with no education at all. They’re more likely to have better employment opportunities, and be able to contribute more to their families and communities.
Health and wellbeing: Secondary school education reduces rates of child marriage and early childbearing. Girls who finish high school are also more likely to know how to combat preventable diseases and have the ability to make decisions about their own health and their families’ health. Secondary education can also reduce the risk of intimate partner violence.
Breaking the poverty cycle: Girls who receive a quality education gain the knowledge and skills needed to secure stable jobs with higher incomes, and live financially independent lives. They can provide a better life for their families breaking the cycle of poverty that has existed for generations.
Promoting gender equality: Education plays an essential role in challenging discriminatory views that keep girls and women behind. It promotes equality and equips girls with the knowledge to advocate for their rights. Educated girls have improved opportunities and are more likely to lead better lives.
What are the barriers to girls’ education?
Girls need the opportunity to go to school and learn, yet about 130 million girls today are still denied an education.
Some of the common obstacles preventing girls from accessing an education include:
Poverty: The cost of education can prevent children living in developing communities from going to school. Even where there are no school fees, families may not be able to afford the cost of school supplies such as uniforms, school bags and textbooks ·
Cultural factors: Traditional beliefs and practices in some communities can discourage or prevent girls from attending school. Education for girls may not be seen as a priority or may not be valued; instead, girls are expected to leave school early and take on domestic roles or look after younger siblings.
Lack of infrastructure: Poor or inadequate facilities such as classrooms, toilets, libraries or playgrounds can deter girls from attending school. Schools that lack proper toilets and sanitary facilities, for example, can be extremely uncomfortable for girls during menstruation. Girls attending schools without proper toilets often go to forests and bushes nearby, which puts their safety at risk.
Long distances to school: Families living in poverty whose homes are in rural and remote areas are often far from schools. They may lack transport options to get their children to school. They may fear for the safety of their children, particularly their daughters, having to walk long distances to school.
ChildFund Australia’s commitment to girls’ education
ChildFund is working with families, communities, and our local partners to make sure that girls are in school and can finish their education.Initiatives include:
providing children with learning and school materials such as school bags, uniforms, stationery and books;
helping to get girls back in school when they have left, by monitoring children’s attendance and when a child starts and leaves school;
providing schools with learning materials and resources such as reading and exercise books, and mathematic kits;
training teachers to develop engaging, interactive lessons focused on improving literacy and numeracy skills;
building or renovating preschools and primary schools, including improving libraries, classrooms, and water and sanitation facilities such as toilets;
providing bicycles and helmets to help girls living far away to get to school safer;
providing children with disabilities with the equipment they need to learn, such as hearing aids; and
empowering girls to become leaders as peer educators. This includes providing equipment and tutoring materials so peer educators can support younger students falling behind in literacy and numeracy.
How you can help
1. Donate to ChildFund Australia’s education appeal, which aims to get more girls in school and graduating!
2. Buy a Gift for Good: For many families, stationery and notebooks are unaffordable. By buying a school supplies set , you could provide a girl with the essential items they need for a successful year of learning, along with a schoolbag to carry them in!
