INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL CHILD
International Day of the Girl Child is marked October 11 every year. It is a day dedicated to amplifying the voices of the girl child and stand up for the rights. The theme for this year’s International Girl Child Day is, “Girl Force: Unscripted and Unstoppable”.
Therefore Mirian Pat Foundation in collaboration with Wotclef Foundation reached out to the girls in Greater Heights Academy; Mirian Pat Foundation is aimed at supporting the education of children (living with disabilities and vulnerable children) who are unable to further their education due to either their poor family background and/or displacement. The event of the day was centered on 4 Sub-topics; The Disadvantage of Early Marriage, Gender base Violence, Skills & Digital Marketing and Menstrual cycle.
Disadvantage of Early Marriage: Many young girls drop out of school to become young house wives because of pressure from parents and sometimes religion. The girls were encouraged to focus on their education as well as educating them on their human child rights and were given a list of contact in case they are faced with such situation or pressure.
Gender Base Violence: The students were encouraged not to be intimidated by any one and should go extra mile and do even better with their passion and skills.
Skills & Digital Marketing: During the holidays the children were taught on other skill they could learn such as tailoring, catering painting etc. and how to market what they do on social platforms.
Menstrual Cycle: Hygiene is very important especially to the girl child. They were taught on how to calculate their cycle and use the sanitary pads and keep themselves and environment clean.
A popular saying goes thus, “If we educate a boy, we educate an individual, if we educate a girl, we educate a family and a whole nation. “
Advocating for the rights to education for the Girl-Child is our responsibility. The key to a developed world is an educated world.
Give a girl child a voice,
Enlighten the children, revive the nation.
