International Day of the Girl Child 2015

11 Oct 2015

Open to All

Celebrating Girls Worldwide

Just two years ago, the United Nations declared October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child (IDGC). It is a day dedicated to observing more opportunities for girls, but also to drawing attention to the blatant inequality that girls face worldwide, strictly based upon their gender. Inequality often takes the forms of denied access to education, legal rights, nutrition, medical care and protection from discrimination, violence, and even forced early marriage.

This year the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), along with many other global organizations, will shine a spotlight on inequalities related to education, one of 17 areas of focus outlined in the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, which were issued in September 2015.

According to the UN report, 103 million youth worldwide lack basic literacy skills, and more than 60 percent of them are female. This means that 62 million girls are not in school and this statistic must change.

Obtaining a quality education is the foundation to improving lives. While major progress has been made toward increasing access to education for everyone, there is still a lot more work that must be done before girls reach educational parity with their young male counterparts.

In 2015 girls around the world are speaking out boldly, demanding their right to receive a quality education. Let's show our support in helping girls everywhere make their voices heard .