{"id":28494,"date":"2018-10-11T19:22:20","date_gmt":"2018-10-11T19:22:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lovehappensmag.com\/blog\/?p=28494"},"modified":"2018-10-11T19:22:20","modified_gmt":"2018-10-11T19:22:20","slug":"international-day-of-the-girl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lovehappensmag.com\/blog\/2018\/10\/11\/international-day-of-the-girl\/","title":{"rendered":"International Day of the Girl Child: Celebrating Girl Power & The Launch of the Obama Foundation's Global Girls Alliance"},"content":{"rendered":"

International Day of the Girl Child: Celebrating Girl Power & The Launch of the Obama Foundation’s Global Girls Alliance<\/strong><\/h1>\n

In December of 2011, as the result of youth advocacy around the world, the United Nations declared October 11 as the\u00a0International Day of the Girl Child<\/strong><\/em>.\u00a0Its mission is\u00a0\u201cto highlight and address the needs and challenges girls face, while promoting girls’ empowerment and the fulfillment of their human rights.\u201d\u00a0It\u2019s a day to focus attention and to take action on advancing rights and opportunities for girls around the world.
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\"International<\/a>

Source: Photo by Deva Darshan via Unsplash<\/p><\/div>
\nThe UN describes the importance of this day and supporting girls everywhere, \u201cAdolescent girls have the right to a safe, educated, and healthy life, not only during these critical formative years, but also as they mature into women. If effectively supported during the adolescent years, girls have the potential to change the world \u2013 both as the empowered girls of today and as tomorrow\u2019s workers, mothers, entrepreneurs, mentors, household heads, and political leaders.<\/p>\n

\u201cEmpowerment of and investment in girls are key in breaking the cycle of discrimination and violence and in promoting and protecting the full and effective enjoyment of their human rights\u201d<\/em>
\n– United Nations Resolution 66\/170<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

2018 Theme<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"International<\/a>

Source: Photo by Sharon Christina R\u00f8rvik on Unsplash<\/p><\/div>
\nEach year the UN picks a specific theme to focus on for the International Day of the Girl. October 11, 2018 is dedicated to the concept \u201cWith Her: A Skilled GirlForce.\u201d Today\u2019s generation of girls is preparing to enter a world of work that is being transformed by innovation and automation. Educated and skilled workers are in great demand, but roughly a quarter of young people people \u2013 most of them female \u2013 are currently neither employed or in education or training.
\nAccording to the UN, \u201cOf the 1 billion young people \u2013 including 600 million adolescent girls \u2013 that will enter the workforce in the next decade, more than 90% of those living in developing countries will work in the informal sector, where low or no pay, abuse and exploitation are common.\u201d This is a huge problem!!
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\"International<\/a>

Source: Photo by Aman Bhargava on Unsplash<\/p><\/div>
\nOn this 11 October, under the theme, With Her: A Skilled GirlForce, International Day of the Girl will mark the beginning of a year-long effort to bring together partners and stakeholders to advocate for, and draw attention and investments to, the most pressing needs and opportunities for girls to attain skills for employability.<\/p>\n

“On this International Day of the Girl, let us recommit to supporting every girl to develop her skills, enter the workforce on equal terms and reach her full potential.”<\/em>
\n– UN Secretary-General Ant\u00f3nio Guterres<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Related Article:<\/span><\/strong><\/em>
\nThe Atlas of Beauty: Women Empowerment Through Portraiture<\/a><\/p>\n

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Impact<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Since the United Nations General Assembly adopted\u00a0Resolution 66\/170<\/a>\u00a0to declare October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child in 2011, the global community has greatly impacted the quality of lives of girls during early childhood.
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\"International<\/a>

Source: Photo by Abigail Keenan on Unsplash<\/p><\/div>
\nHowever, there is still much work to be done, especially in addressing the challenges girls face in the second decade of their lives. \u201cThis includes obtaining quality secondary and higher education, avoiding child marriage, receiving information and services related to puberty and reproductive health, and protecting themselves against unwanted pregnancy, sexually transmitted disease and gender-based violence,\u201d states the UN\u2019s website.
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\"Nevertheless<\/a>

Source: Drawing by @CourtneyPrivett<\/p><\/div>
\nNow is the time to support the current and upcoming generation of adolescent girls, they are key actors in achieving a sustainable and equitable world! 11 October is not only a day; it is a worldwide revolution!<\/p>\n

The Obama Foundation Launches the Global Girls Alliance<\/strong><\/h2>\n

An avid supporter of youth advocacy and in particular young girls, Michelle Obama and the Obama Foundation showed their support for the International Day of the Girl Child movement by choosing October 11, 2018 to launch the Global Girls Alliance<\/a>. The focus of this new program\u00a0is to empower\u00a0adolescent girls around the world through education.
\n\"Power<\/a>
\nIn promotion of this launch, they posted this wonderful video on social media along with this message, “We believe that change happens from the ground up, so we\u2019re working to support grassroots leaders and to spur action from people like you, all around the world. We can accomplish more together than we can on our own, so I hope you\u2019ll join our alliance\u2014because the future of our world is only as bright as our girls.”
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