BY METI DEREJE
It sounds like a fun holiday that celebrates everything good about being young and female but the holiday was created to serve a much greater purpose than that. International Day of the Girl has been recognized worldwide since October 11th, 2012. Like its adult version, International Women’s Day, celebrated on March 8, International Day of the Girl Child acknowledges the importance, power, and potential of adolescent girls by encouraging the opening up of more opportunities for them. The day aims to shed light on all the reasons we, as a global society, need to address the challenges, biases and injustices young girls face from all over the world.
October 11, 2022 marks the ten-year anniversary of the International Day of the Girl child also known as the International Day of the Girl (IDG). The IDG is commemorated with the aim of focusing attention on the need to address the challenges girls face and to promote girls’ empowerment and the fulfillment of their human rights. In this regard, while acknowledging the progress made in the protection of children right with specific focus on the rights of girls, there are still a lot to be done. Girls are still affected by negative social norms resulting in child marriage, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and other harmful practices. In addition, they are also among the highly affected part of the society in the repercussion of climate change, humanitarian crisis and armed conflicts erupting in different part of the world.
As the theme for the IDG for the 2022 is: “Our time is now—our rights, our future” “Equal Power Now” we need to deliberately discuss and address those hurdles that prevent girls to participate in the decision that affects their rights now and forthcoming. In this regard, powerholders and decision makers need to intentionally involve girls to participate in discussions that affects their lives. In the same manner, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) working on children’s right should continue to amplify the voices of girls especially those that are unable to access the platforms and the means to advocate for the protection of their rights.
Meti is a Project Coordinator with Plan International African Union Liaison Office. She can be reached:
Meti.Dereje@plan-international.org
Editor’s Note: The views entertained in this article do not necessarily reflect the stance of The Ethiopian Herald
The Ethiopian Herald October 12/2022
