International Day of the Girl Child is a United Nations designated day and is marked annually on October 11. This year, the Day of the Girl Child is also important as the ‘Generation Equality’ campaign has been launched. It is a “multi-year, multi-partner campaign and movement for bold action on gender equality”.
The theme of this year’s International Day of the Girl Child is “My voice, our equal future”. The theme focuses on how girls around the world are leading the way.
International Day of the Girl Child in 2020 marks the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which is dedicated to strengthening girls and their rights on a global scale. The Beijing Declaration is one of the first “most comprehensive international agreements on women’s rights and gender equality”.
In a pandemic year, a clear agenda and multi pronged approach is essential to care for the needs and opportunities of adolescent girls. Twitter is already overflowing with beautiful pictures and messages ahead of International Day of Girl Child, which is tomorrow.
Today we’re so excited to continue our #DayOfTheGirl celebrations and sit down with the Girls Opportunity Alliance and a special guest: their founder @MichelleObama!
? @girlsalliance, can you kick things off by telling us a bit more about your work? pic.twitter.com/ICh52j41ws
— Twitter Women (@TwitterWomen) October 9, 2020
Ahead of the International Day of Girl Child, we look at the faces of girl power around the world who are driving the change. A look at five faces of girl power is-
Neha is a teenager from neighbouring Nepal and an activist for girls’ rights and gender equality. She grew up in a slum in Kathmandu. She focuses on dealing with trafficking and gender-based violence. Neha is now a Plan International Global Young Influencer.
She is a leader in the Mahila Ekta Samaj Girls Network of Nepal, which works with the main slums of Kathmandu. She is also the host of the Nepalese radio show #CoolKids.com. Ahead of International Girls’ Day, Neha joined the “Digital Youth Activism Dialogue” organized by UN Women and Plan International.
Samaira Mehta, 11, is already the founder and CEO Coderbunnyz and Codermindz. These are two board games that introduce children to computer programming concepts. Samaira is also the creator of the “Yes, One Billion Kids Can Code” initiative. The aim of the programme is to enable children to have access to STEM (Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and coding tools by 2030. Samaira “added her voice to UN Women’s Generation Equality campaign this year.”
Greta Thunberg is a 16-year-old, who became a household name and the face of a global movement for climate change in 2019.
Greta began her movement by skipping classes and camping in front of the Swedish Parliament. She and others like her demanded action to protect the planet from global warming. In 2019, Greta Thunberg sailed across the Atlantic on an emissions-free boat to attend the UN Climate Summit in New York.
Julieta Martinez, 17, is a climate and gender equity activist. The girl from Chile founded an organization to empower and educate girls and encourages young people to interact and work in their communities.
Her ‘Tremendas Collaborative Platform’ works on issues such as environment, inclusion, gender, health and welfare and education. Also, Julieta is a member of UN Women’s Generation Equality Youth Task Force.
Latifatou Compaor, 14, is a feisty activist from Burkina Faso. Her mother was forced to undergo Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Latifatou’s mother promised never to allow FGM on her daughter. Latifatou campaigns to end FGM. As a good singer, she uses her talent to spread awareness of the dangerous practice of FGM. UNFPA recognised Latifatou’s work to end FGM.
