International day of the girl child

International Day of the Girl Child

Be it education, nutrition, medicine, child marriage or any other important issue, gender inequality is not what a girl deserves.

By Pratibha Yadav 08th Oct, 2015 | 11:04 am

The United Nations has declared 11 October as International Day of the Girl Child to support the girl child and raise awareness on the issues related to gender inequality. Be it education, nutrition, medicine, child marriage or any other important issue, gender inequality is not what a girl deserves.

Themes of the International Day of the Girl Child

The day has always been associated with different themes. The theme for 2015 is The Power of the Adolescent Girl: Vision for 2030.

2014: Empowering Adolescent Girls: Ending the Cycle of Violence

2013: Innovating for Girls’ Education

2012 (inaugural year): Focused on the issue of child marriage

On this day, various events are organised in different countries. Some events are even sponsored by the United Nations. Various non-governmental organisations and local companies also organise events to observe the day and to celebrate the girl child.

Also Read: Are Schools Giving Adequate Facilities to a Girl Child?

Plan International's Because I Am a Girl Campaign

Plan International is a non-governmental organisation. In a way, the idea of the International Day of the Girl Child was influenced by Plan International’s I Am a Girl campaign. A representative of the NGO sought help from the Canadian government to take things forward. Rona Ambrose, Canada's Minister for the Status of Women, supported the initiative to propose the International Day of the Girl Child in the United Nations General Assembly. During the 55^th United Nations Commission, a delegation of women made presentations on the status of women. Finally, the United Nations declared 11 October as the day of the girl child.