The International Day of the Girl Child is a day dedicated to celebrating the girl child. Girls over the world number 1.1 billion, these girls are the next generation of people who will build the future and contribute to the implementation of the Global Goals. Because of the importance of girls in our world, a single day in the year is not enough to celebrate them, we should celebrate girls every day. The theme for this year’s International Day of the Girl Child, “Girls’ Progress = Goals’ Progress: A Global Girl Data Movement”, is a call for action for increased investment in collecting and analyzing girl-focused, girl-relevant and sex-disaggregated data. There is need for us to make the issue of girls come first at policy meetings and events where vital decisions are made.
Despite the paucity of data on girls over the world, the statistics available are still rather disturbing. According to UN women, one in three girls in developing countries (except China) get married before they turn 18. Girls who are child brides miss out on education, are more vulnerable to physical and sexual violence, and bear children before they are physically or emotionally prepared. The cycle of violence that begins in girlhood, carries over into womanhood and across generations.
At Brain Builders International, we have held events, consulted and advocated for increased investment in the education of girls. In 2015, we went to Kaiama, a village in Kwara State, Nigeria to sensitize the people on the importance of educating girls. The Emir accepted us warmly, the villagers also appreciated our efforts and made pledges to ensure that girl children are educated. We are doing all we can to ensure that child marriages are discouraged, we urge people all over the world to shun gender discrimination and empower girls more. We also charge the Nigerian Government at all levels and other stakeholders involved to ensure the release of the #ChibokGirls. It is unimaginable how the event of a single night has changed the lives of families forever. These girls are our sisters, we cannot forget them. We also need to ensure that such occurrence is never repeated. We further call on government at all levels to abolish laws that discriminate against girls and women. When we train a girl, we are training a generation. Happy International Day of the Girl Child.
#IDG2016
#YesAllGirls
#DayoftheGirl
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