International Day of the Girl is a UN initiative set up to promote the rights of girls around the world. It takes place every year on 11th October, aiming to highlight the realities of life as a girl across the world and the challenges they face regarding education, healthcare, child marriage, equal opportunity and sexual violence. Not every girl will face all of these challenges, but almost every girl will encounter at least one of them, which is why Day of the Girl is so important.
Despite half the population being female, women experience discrimination on a daily basis due to gender inequality. Feeling it the most are the 1.1 billion girls in the world. One in three girls in developing countries get married before the age of 18, which usually means that they miss out on education, a career and are more vulnerable to physical and sexual violence. The statistics are truly shocking and I am thankful to live in a country where we can raise our children knowing they won’t have to face the challenges of so many who are born into a totally different set of circumstances.
We all want to raise children who are happy, healthy and confident. As parents we are responsible for teaching our children, teaching them to reach their potential, to always do their best, to know right from wrong, to love one another but it is equally important to teach them to love themselves, to value themselves and give them the confidence to stand up against the prejudices of this world, that in itself is a whole other story……
Spread the word today and show support through social media by using the hash tag #DayofTheGirl to share a few words of inspiration and raise awareness.
‘I speak not for myself, but so those without a voice can be heard’ Malala Yousafzai