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Despite the huge advances that have been made in the field of women’s rights, violence against young girls and inequity in access to development opportunities remain at alarming levels. International Day of the Girl pays attention to the many gender gaps in education and human rights.
There are more than 600 million teenage girls worldwide, women in the making who will shape the future of the world, along with the young men of their generation. They will be the soul of the communities they belong to, they will set the tone in #feminine leadership in the organizations where they work, they will build families, and they will be mothers.
Beyond the not-so-encouraging statistics, what would you like the future to look like for today’s teenage girls, your daughters or granddaughters?
For 10 years, October 11 has been dedicated to young girls and the role they play in the future of the world.
International Day of the Girl pays attention to the many gender gaps in education and human rights. In the 21st century, statistics show this for the 600 million teenage girls worldwide:
• Globally, the proportion of women among Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) graduates is below 15% in over two-thirds of countries.
• Almost 10 million girls will be at risk of child marriage. The profound effects of the COVID-19 pandemic put girls at greater risk of early marriage due to a combination of economic, school closures and disruption of health services.
• Almost half of the primary schools in LDCs do not have separate toilets – an important factor in girls’ attendance – and over two-thirds do not have electricity.
• Girls are primarily victims of sexual exploitation (72% of reported female victims), while boys are mainly subjected to forced labor (66% of reported male victims).
• The gender gap among internet users worldwide is increasing, from 11% in 2013 to 17% in 2019, with the largest gap being in the world’s least developed countries at 43%.
Young girls have proven time and time again that if given the opportunities they need for education, expression and expression, they can bring about change and progress in their communities.
Photo: Pixabay
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