All around the world, girls are too often enslaved, treated as second-class, deprived of schooling and forced into marriages against their will. Even in the United States, girls are viewed as second class in music, on TV and in films.
On Sunday, Oct. 11, the female gender called the day their own to fight for the justice that they deserve.
On “Day of the Girl,” awareness is raised on the issues that females face today in the push for gender equality, worldwide.
Oct. 11 is no longer just a day. From now on, it will be a nationwide revolution which will give females everywhere the fight that they deserve.
This movement was started by the United Nations two years ago by adopting the Resolution 66/170, which states, “Empowerment 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.”
Adolescent girls around the world are not being treated as equals. Young girls deserve to obtain an education and to live and be nurtured in an environment that is beneficial to their overall wellbeing.
According to dayofthegirl.org, one in seven girls in developing countries is married off before the age of 15.
First lady Michelle Obama even took part in Day of the Girl, by tweeting a link to a personal Spotify playlist that she created to promote girl power. The playlist included songs by artists such as Beyonce and Demi Lovato, who are both known to promote girl power and the power to love oneself no matter what obstacles they have been through.
The Obama administration is currently running a campaign titled, “Let Girls Learn,” which is “working together to open the doors of education to girls around the world,” according to its website. Today, 62 million girls are not in school worldwide, and the first lady is working to put a stop to this.
According to dayofthegirl.org, by 2015, females will make up 64% of the world’s illiterate (adult) population.
Far too many girls are stripped of the opportunity to have a bright future, simply due to the fact that they are not growing up in the proper conditions, their families are plagued by disease, they do not have an educational system available to them or simply because they are female.
So, go ahead. Join the movement. Spread female inequality.
And better yet? Do not limit yourself to just one day out of the year.
