Happy International Day of the Girl Child!

[Zorra]

Isn't this a great way to help raise awareness of the inequality and oppression that girls and women experience throughout the world every day?

The International Day of the Girl Child

On December 19, 2011, United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 66/170 to declare October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child, to recognize girls’ rights and the unique challenges girls face around the world.

Girls face discrimination and violence every day across the world. The International Day of the Girl Child focuses attention on the need to address the challenges girls face and to promote girls’ empowerment and the fulfilment of their human rights.

Governments in partnership with civil society actors and the international community are called upon to take urgent action to end the harmful practice of child marriage and to:

Enact and enforce appropriate legislation to increase the minimum age of marriage for girls to 18 and raise public awareness about child marriage as a violation of girls’ human rights.
Improve access to good quality primary and secondary education, ensuring that gender gaps in schooling are eliminated.
Mobilize girls, boys, parents, leaders, and champions to change harmful social norms, promote girls’ rights and create opportunities for them.
Support girls who are already married by providing them with options for schooling, sexual and reproductive health services, livelihoods skills, opportunity, and recourse from violence in the home.
Address the root causes underlying child marriage, including gender discrimination, low value of girls, poverty, or religious and cultural justifications.

[DURHAM D]

1. Link to DU OP with video of SOS Clinton and Archbishop Tutu

speaking to Girl Scouts on first International Day of the Girl.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021514199

Thank you Hillary. She starts at 10:36 of the video.

[lynintenn]

2. Thinking Of Malala

She should be an inspiration to all girls who live with oppression.