Futures Celebrates International Day of the Girl (10/11)
We applaud the United Nations for recognizing the value of girls and declaring October 11th the International Day of the Girl. Every girl deserves to live an empowered life free of discrimination, abuse, economic disparities, and violence. This landmark day celebrates the importance of girls, and will generate conversation about specific injustices that girls face across the globe.
In honor of the first International Day of the Girl, Futures Without Violence helped lead the fight against the harmful practice of child marriage, a form of gender-based violence and human rights violation. Child marriage prevents more than 10 million girls a year from being able to reach their full potential and makes it harder for families, communities, and countries to escape poverty. Child brides are more likely to drop out of school, contract HIV, experience domestic violence, and die during child birth.
Futures is a part of Girls Not Brides, a global partnership of over 180 organizations working to end child marriage all over the world. Together, we aim to give a voice to girls at risk of child marriage, defend their rights to health and education, and give them the opportunities they need to fulfill their potential.
During her remarks to group of Girl Scouts yesterday, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton championed the inaugural International Day of the Girl and announced new private and public initiatives to prevent child marriage and promote girls’ education around the world. Secretary Clinton condemned the shooting in Pakistan of a 14-year-old girl who courageously advocated for girls’ rights, and called child marriage, “a threat to the fundamental human rights of girls.”
We are proud to support the inaugural International Day of the Girl and help lead the fight against child marriage. Visit their website to find out more about Girls Not Brides and see how you can take action on International Day of the Girl and beyond.
