Girls’ rights are not humanitarian occurrences—they are the world we need to build now. The call to action is timely because, ‘Girls’ Rights are Our Future’.
‘International Day of the Girl Child’ is celebrated annually on the 11th of October as a way of drawing the public’s attention to the various challenges faced by girls all over the world. Not only the difficulties but also the successes and opportunities of girls, along with their equality and rights, are focused on. It was established by the United Nations in 2011 to call for society’s attention to girls’ rights and the need to provide more opportunities for girls to succeed. There is always a theme every year to facilitate initiatives and policies that are meant to address those issues.
The theme for 2024 is “Girls’ Rights, Our Future”, focusing on building structures that support girls to achieve their full potential and be agents of change in their communities and the world.
The basic consideration of this day is the question of girls’ rights. Girls have rights that are well-defined as human rights—from the right to life, the right to education, and the right to freedom of expression to the freedom of choice. Among these, no right is a special right given to women and girls; they are basic human rights. Despite this, millions of girls globally suffer from discrimination, violence, and inequality. From an inability to secure quality education, the girl child drops out of school and then gets into early marriages with no idea of how to manage their own health and the well-being of their children. The lack of knowledge and skills makes them unfit to build a family. This becomes one of the reasons why, despite many efforts and initiatives, gender-based violence persists. When someone is deprived of justice and education, the probability is that they cannot avail or prioritize it for others. This not only fails the potential inherent in half of our population but also excludes societies from valued contributions, skills, and outlooks that may be offered.
If girls are educated, they are also likely to enroll their own children and ensure that they attend school—a process that leads to educating the entire population and empowering them. It means that by respecting girls’ rights and their civil liberties, which include the right to education, health, and freedom from abuse and exploitation, a girl is enabled to become a leader, inventor, and agent of change.
Unfortunately, the non-ideal situation is observed worldwide. As of 2021, over 130 million girls of school-going age are out of school. Millions of girls face illiteracy, gender-based violence, female genital mutilation/cutting, and many more forms of violence. This is not only a sin in moral terms but is also negatively impacting the social and economic development of entire communities and nations. Girls’ well-being and prosperity are related to the future. When girls are educated, healthy, and empowered, they will lay the foundations of strength, courage, and discipline in society. An educated female is healthier, more prosperous, and less prone to poverty and the cycle of violence, thus contributing more to the prosperity of the nation. Additionally, when girls are encouraged to innovate in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) areas, they help bring about change in critical fields that define the future. From broad issues such as climate change to technological innovation, girls are capable, if empowered enough, of being at the forefront of solving the world’s problems.
This is why it remains our modest duty to ensure the removal of obstacles to girls’ success. Boys, girls, women, communities, organizations, and even governments have the responsibility of protecting and promoting the rights of girls. This entails the development of policies that will prevent girls from being abused, provide them with the right to education, and allow them to receive the same opportunities as boys in all aspects of life. This is equally true where social change seeks to alter attitudes that consider girls inferior to boys or undeserving of a chance. The empowerment of girls entails changing cultural barriers and practices and promoting early women’s desires and ambitions for success as alternatives to discrimination and violence. However, it means that families and communities themselves must be involved in the promotion of girls’ rights. Some key stakeholders, like parents, educators, activists, and the community, can do this by encouraging the education of girl children, protecting their health, and nurturing their dreams. The school environment has to be made safe for girls so they can productively engage and also develop leadership personalities.
As we celebrate the International Day of the Girl Child every year, let it mark a commitment to the rights and empowerment of the girl child once again. There is no time to wait to guarantee the rights of girls to dream, learn, and lead. When we invest in girls, we are investing in a society that is equal, just and prosperous in the future.
By Darakshan Hassan Bhat
dr*******@***il.com