International Girl Child Day, observed on October 11th every year is a remarkable day that recognizes the importance of the girl child as it serves as a powerful reminder to celebrate and uplift the incredible potential of girls all around the world.
This year’s commemoration is being celebrated under the theme “invest in girls rights our leadership, our wellbeing. “This theme simply helps us realize that coming together to acknowledge the challenges that girls face, from gender inequality to limited access to education, healthcare among other challenges and how to deal with these issues will help us by allow girls to take the lead.
The theme is challenging policy makers and cooperating partners to stand up for the call of ensuring that every girl child has a place to speak on her issues at the high table in ensuring their rights to be locally domesticated and respected. Championing the gaps affecting the growth of a girl child will ensure a conducive environment that protects the wellbeing of the girl child. The theme calls for more efforts and actions from various stake holders in supporting the girl child’s role in society.
“Imagine a world where every girl child has an opportunity to thrive, have her dreams nurtured, and her voice amplified and heard”. She will change the narrative of raising and increasing the number of women in decision making position in the world. A girl child has the potential to break free from negative societal norms and barriers that endanger their lives and embrace their true value and potential if equipped with the right tools of skills in her growth.
Lifeline Childline looks at the International Day of the Girl Child’s theme as an opportunity to amplify the voice of the girl child and ensuring that the girl child’s mental health is supported by creating a platform where their voices are heard and amplified. This day further promotes the need for quality education, Menstrual hygiene, positive social and cultural norms among other factors.
Creating equal opportunities that will help unlock the untapped potential of the girl child is the best way to go. A focused mindset change in our societies will help equip girls with personal leadership that will encourage them to be agents of change in their communities hence lessening the challenges of them becoming victims of child abuse, human trafficking, and sexual abuse, among others.
Let us break down the barriers and create a conducive environment in the world where every girl can thrive and win. Together, girls are equal and can create an investment of return of a brighter future for all globally. Lifeline Childline helpline offers free toll-free lines, and you can reach out to them on 933 Lifeline and 116 Childline as we commemorate this International Day of the Girl Child.
Written by Betty Kakoma.
