October 11, every year, is celebrated as the International Day of the Girl Child. This initiative was launched in 2012 by the United Nations with a view to focus on issues that pertained to the education, equality, child marriage, access to services regarding sexual and physical health, puberty, gender-based issues and much more for the girl child. On this day, the Human Rights Watch, an organisation that aims to expose the abuses experienced by human rights and bring justice, plans to end girl child marriage. They have tweeted the same from their handle stating, "Celebrate #DayOfTheGirl and stand with girls around the world fighting for their rights! - Fighting for equality - Fighting for education - Fighting to #EndChildMarriage" On the other hand, UNESCO has opted to promote education to girl child by tweeting, "On International #DayOfTheGirl and every day, UNESCO stands with her – the future leader, entrepreneur and scientist – to empower her and all girls to lead the life they dream of through education." We have listed out some of the ways that would enable a better living for girl children. Eradicate the taboo of girl child It has been a patriarchal society for too long. Change only begins if we as individuals start to promote the idea of equality. Being or having a girl child is not a taboo. This idea should especially be promoted in the rural segments of the country. Considering how it is a requirement that awareness for the same is spread. The percentage of female foeticide (mostly illegal now) would drastically reduce and eventually, the need for having only a boy child would diminish. On the Day of the Girl Child, Women Share Real Stories of Sexual Harassment and Discrimination They Faced As Girls. Allow Them to Make Their Own Choices Give the girl child the freedom and liberty to make their own choices. Don't try to bog them down by taking away education, good living conditions, freedom to choose what they want to do with their lives. Freedom of choice, as per constitutional rights, does belong to everyone living in a society, then why hamper someone's rights? Ensure their Safety at all Times The world has become a scary place for a girl child and a woman. Every day, they are subjected to predatorial gaze, unwanted touch, wrongful behaviour by people around them. Be it, outsiders or family, a girl child is constantly under the radar of everyone involved or not involved in her life. Hence, having a support system at all times would only give her the courage and freedom to go ahead and achieve things she is capable of without having to give up things. Provide Services to Enhance their Skill Set Often incidents have happened when a girl child is not given the rightful education they deserve. With the backward mentality of various segments of the society, it has often been difficult to enable education for them. However, providing necessary skill set sessions would give them the opportunity to be ready for the world. Soft skills often come in handy for anyone. Camps, programmes, schemes, sessions and such events can be held where free services can be provided for girl children. Mentor them because they have great potential Social work professionals can take up volunteering programmes by mentoring some of the girls from the economically and mentally backward segments of the society. Giving them the right mentoring and education through the basic means, giving them opportunities and much more, would have someone to look up to. Promote Awareness that Supports Girl Child Take up initiatives or ensure the CSR projects involve propagating the idea of supporting girl child. They need to know that they are wanted and will be given the right kind of treatment in the big world. Start Organisations and Volunteer Programmes to Help Girls Individuals who are involved in social work and welfare programmes should start organisations and volunteer programmes that would propagate the idea of girl child not being a taboo. These organisations can tie up with conglomerates to come up with projects that would better the living conditions of a girl child as well as provide them with the right education and opportunities that would enable them to rise above. Let Them Know They Are Not Alone Having a girl child is not a burden. Women have been excelling in every field you can possibly imagine. In fact, one of the Nobel prize winners this year in Physics is a woman scientist! That's the extent of women proving themselves to be equal with the men in the same field. With so many achievements women are capable of, it wouldn't be the end of the world to raise a girl child. In fact, a girl child would be a boon to all. That's an idea that needs to find it's placed in everyone's mind. Celebrate Girlhood and Cherish Girls Being a girl child is a cause of celebration and not a cumbersome casualty. Give the girl child every reason to celebrate herself, her birth instead of making her feel bad for why she was born. From cases of harassment to discrimination, the challenges of growing up a girl are manifold and the world. Irrespective of whether she's someone's daughter, mother or sister, let's take these pledges to make the world a little better for our girls. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 11, 2018 12:54 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).<doc-sep>The world is celebrating International Girl Child Day today — on October 11, 2018. Hardly 1% of Pakistanis have knowledge about this international observance, despite the fact that half of Pakistan’s population are women. The cases of gender-based violence are routine news and tickers on every channel. As much as 60% of women are illiterate and more than 15 million girls are out of schools. The issues of gender-based violence, honour killing, early marriages and forced marriages especially Suwara or Vani and girl child abuse have become common in our society. Launched by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012, The International Day of Girl Child is celebrated all over the world on October 11 since then. This day aims to highlight and address the needs and challenges girls’ face while promoting girls’ empowerment and the fulfilment of their human rights. Discrimination and violence against girls and violations of their human rights still happen all over the world. Amongst the issues focused on by the International Day of the Girl Child are education, equality, child marriage, access to services regarding puberty and sexual health and addressing issues around gender-based violence. On this day, we need to remind ourselves that thousands of girls child work as maids in our homes and they don’t enjoy basic rights such as education and health rather they work in childhood on a minute amount of wages. Such girls need education just as our girl children and care from those who are concerned about their country and society in general. Every year, thousands of girl child are married. The issue of early marriages is very concerning where not only the State but parents and communities need to focus. A girl child loses all her potential and opportunities of life when she is married without completing her schooling at the age of 16 or even earlier. Parents treat their children as property of the family rather than a living person. Due to a rise in the trend of court marriages, incidents of honour killing have also been increasing Due to social norms that devalue women as individuals in our society, honour violence is rampant against women and girls. Immediate family members who are supposed to protect a girl usually commit honour killing. The murder of girls and women by their own mothers, fathers, and brothers mostly because of land disputes or love marriage of a girl. In some cases, Honour killings are ordered by community leaders or tribal councils like Jirga or Punchait. According to a research study, 93% of honour-based violence victims are women, and the average age of victims is around 23. The murders also manage safe escape due to weaknesses in the legal system. The 2004 law against ‘honour killing’ is contradicted directly by the Islamic law of Qisas and Diyat, which allows a family of a victim to ‘forgive’ the criminal and lessen the punishment or forgo it altogether. Most criminals use this loophole to get away with their crime. Parents treat their child as a property of their family rather than a living person. Due to rise in court marriage trends the incidents of honour killing are also increasing so its utmost important that life and liberty of the court marriage couple should be protected by state and more importantly — every citizen should have right to make his/her own choice. Islam allows every Muslim for the marriage of his/her choice regardless of gender. Education institutions can play important role in creating awareness regarding the International Day of Girl Child. A brief 30 minutes session regarding this day and the importance of Girls rights may shape our young minds in a constructive and positive manner. On this day, we need to tell each this beautiful hadith of Prophet (P.B.U.H) “Whoever has three daughters and is patient towards them, and feeds them, gives them to drink, and clothes them from his wealth; they will be a shield for him from the Fire on the Day of Resurrection.” The writer is a media and communications professional. He can be contacted at zia051@gmail.com or Twitter: zia051 Published in Daily Times, October 11th 2018.<doc-sep>The global population of girls was about 1.1 billion in 2017. And unfortunately, the conditions for many of them are pretty dire: Every 10 minutes a teenage girl dies because of violence. Additionally, child marriage around the globe is a huge problem. By the end of 2018, 12 million girls under 18 will be married, and 21 million girls aged 15 to 19 years will become pregnant in developing regions, according to UN Women. And especially in developing countries, education and employment is inaccessible to many. 11 October is Int’l #dayofthegirl! Join us in celebrating girls everywhere as they inspire, innovate and take charge of their own future. https://t.co/lHweRbRRzs pic.twitter.com/CbU9RgFhzl — UN Women (@UN_Women) October 10, 2018 In an effort to draw attention to these issues and find solutions, the UN declared October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child. The purpose of the day is to raise awareness about the many issues girls are facing around the globe and give them the tools for a better, more fulfilling future. It is only with these resources that girls will find equal footing with their male counterparts. The 2018 theme of International Day of the Girl is “A Skilled GirlForce,” which is all about giving young girls the education and support they need to be able to succeed in the workforce — especially because 600 million of them are adolescents who will be of working age very soon. Happy International #dayofthegirl! We support a skilled girl force to thrive in the paths they aspire to. https://t.co/lHweRbRRzs #GenUnlimited pic.twitter.com/2EYUxjPpKr — UN Women (@UN_Women) October 11, 2018 “Today's generation of girls are preparing to enter a world of work that is being transformed by innovation and automation,” the UN said in a statement. “Educated and skilled workers are in great demand, but roughly a quarter of young people – most of them female – are currently neither employed or in education or training.” Today will mark the beginning of a year-long effort to provide girls all over the globe with the tools they need to successfully enter the workforce by asking the global community to rethink how to help them make an easier transition, chart new pathways and expand learning opportunities. By next October, the hope is that many more young women will be better prepared to enter the workforce than they are today. International Day of the Girl isn’t just a day, it’s a movement. And in order for it to be successful, it’s imperative that everyone get involved — and a lot of organizations are embracing the opportunity, including Plan International, Girls Who Code and The Female Quotient. This #DayoftheGirl we’re joining young activists in calling for a new world with new rules where girls are seen, heard and valued as equals. This is how #GirlsGetEqual 👉https://t.co/NFGd89ksbX pic.twitter.com/JPvLvAvmrx — Plan International (@PlanGlobal) October 10, 2018 If you want to help the cause, you can use the hashtag #DayOfTheGirl or #GirlsBelongHere to join the conversation online or donate to these organizations and others that support the education and advancement of girls and women, including the Global Girls Alliance, She’s The First, Malala Fund, Girls Not Brides, #BuiltByGirls, Muslim Girl, UNICEF and more. “The stats show that when you educate a girl, you educate a family, a community, a country.” @MichelleObama talks @girlsalliance #DayOfTheGirlTODAY pic.twitter.com/W9cwMBoFdR — TODAY (@TODAYshow) October 11, 2018 Of course, giving money isn’t the only way you can get involved: One of the best ways to help young women is to let the girls in your own life know how much they mean to you and that you believe in them. Sometimes, encouraging words at exactly the right time can be life-changing.<doc-sep>Today's generation of girls are preparing to enter a world of work that is being transformed by innovation and automation. Educated and skilled workers are in great demand, but roughly a quarter of young people – most of them female – are currently neither employed or in education or training. Of the 1 billion young people – including 600 million adolescent girls – that will enter the workforce in the next decade, more than 90% of those living in developing countries will work in the informal sector, where low or no pay, abuse and exploitation are common. On 11 October, International Day of the Girl, we are working alongside all girls to expand existing learning opportunities, chart new pathways and calling on the global community to rethink how to prepare them for a successful transition into the world of work. Under the theme, With Her: A Skilled GirlForce, International Day of the Girl will mark the beginning of a year-long effort to bring together partners and stakeholders to advocate for, and draw attention and investments to, the most pressing needs and opportunities for girls to attain skills for employability.<doc-sep>
11 October: International Day of the Girl Child The International Day of the Girl Child was observed across the world on October 11, 2018. The day aims to highlight and address the needs and challenges faced by girl children while promoting their empowerment and the fulfilment of their human rights. Theme The 2018 theme of the International day is ‘With Her: A Skilled GirlForce’. Under the theme, the International Day will mark the beginning of a year-long effort to bring together partners and stakeholders to advocate for and draw attention and investments to the most pressing needs and opportunities for girls to attain skills for employability. Why do we need the Day? In the next decade, around 600 million adolescent girls are estimated to enter a world of work transformed by innovation and automation. Among them, more than 90% of those living in developing countries will work in the informal sector, where low or no pay, abuse and exploitation are common. They will be faced with multiple barriers including systematic discrimination, biases and lack of training. According to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the negative gender stereotypes related to girls’ education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics begin as early as primary school and have a devastating effect of making them doubt their own potential. Though the number of girls attending school is the highest ever, many still not get the necessary skills for lifelong success. The biggest challenges faced by girls include obtaining quality secondary and higher education, avoiding child marriage, receiving information and services related to puberty and reproductive health, and protecting themselves against unwanted pregnancy, sexually transmitted disease and gender-based violence. Hence, the girls need to be equipped with transferable and lifelong skills such as critical thinking, creativity and digital awareness. Background The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution on December 19, 2011 to declare October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child, to recognise girls’ rights and the unique challenges girls face around the world. The day was established with the aim of ensuring that adolescent girls have the right to a safe, educated, and healthy life, not only during their critical formative years but also as they mature into women. Over the last 15 years, however, the global community has made significant progress in improving the lives of girls during early childhood. The United Nations recently launched Youth2030 to help empower young people. It is a strategy that aims to work with the youth especially young girls and understand their needs and help put their ideas into action. In India, Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi said that in the four years since its inception, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao has progressed tremendously by bringing about a change in people's mindset. The Minister reaffirmed the government's commitment to providing every girl child with an environment that will enable the girl child to reach her full potential. Read More Current Affairs Video: Check out the latest current affairs of this week