Girl Child Day 2022: Our Time is Now;Our Right, Our Future
The International Day of the Girl Child comes up every 11th Day of October. Over the last decade, there has been huge awareness for the girl child.
So many industries and sectors of the world still limit the girl child. They aren’t allowed to take up certain roles even when highly skilled.
Oftentimes, the girl child faces challenges with low remuneration.
Policymakers, governments, the general public and other relevant authorities have been told of the need to give the girl child equal opportunity.
Irrespective of the awareness and sensitization, the girl child’s right and opportunity still remains limited.
Areas the Girl Child Faces Challenges and Lack of Support
- Starting and Owning a Business:
The girl child lacks access to fund for business. She is seen differently because she is a female. Also, in some part of Africa, the girl child cannot access funds for business without the presence and consent of a male.
This has greatly deterred the girl child from pursuing her dream.
- Lack of Education:
The inability for the girl child to go to school in some parts of Africa has made them vulnerable. It has silenced many girl children and made them prey. They lose their confidence and self esteem. They have been subjected to a bondage of religion and culture.
- Lack of Opportunity to Lend their Voice:
When the girl child acquires education, they are subjected to certain cultural and religious norms. Such as; “the woman isn’t supposed to speak”, “she shouldn’t own property”. The girl child grows into a fearful woman bound by tradition.
“It’s time for the girl child”
- Lack of Support for Mental Well-being:
Since the girl child isn’t allowed to lend her voice. She becomes mentally ill. The female child is still expected to manage her health because she is a girl.
The female becomes stigmatized by family, friends and society, if she complains of being maltreated, molested or hurt. The girl child is trained to manage pain.
“But the time is now”
- Poor Support for Sanitary Napkins
Girls in rural communities struggle to get sanitary pads or napkins. These sanitary pads or napkins are really expensive.
These girls resort to any cloth piece which is reachable. These clothes are not hygienic for them. It thereafter exposes the girl child to different diseases.
- Poor Remuneration Package
Lot of industries underpay the girl child as against the male. This is obviously denying them their rights. In some parts of Africa, it’s often seen that the girl child has less responsibility than the male.
Over the years, the girl child has shown creativity, resourcefulness,leadership and resilience in different fields.
The girl child has been seen as changemakers and an agent of unity.
The time has come for the girl child to invest in their future and happiness.
A time to support and be accountable for the girls.
A time for every stakeholders to put an end to inequality
A time to let the girl child be human.
See also: Ways to Support a Girl Child with Reading Anxiety
How to Support the Right of the Girl Child
- The girl child should be allowed access to Education and formal learning.
- Let every pregnant female have free access to healthcare.
- Let there be government support for sanitary pad and napkin for the girl child.
- Free diapers for babies born by teenage moms.
- Abolishment of teen girl child marriage.
- Implementation of laws which grants the girl child the right to claim and inherit properties of parents.
- Government should establish policies that allow the girl child access to loans for businesses.
- Government policies should make and implement laws that permit the girl child to buy and own lands and buildings.
- Organizations which support the rights of the girl child should be made accessible and reachable for girls in rural communities.
- The girl child has dreams and aspirations, she should be allowed to live her dreams.
Nice piece. Very educative