International Day of the Girl Child: History, theme and significance

Canada was the first country to formally propose a resolution on IDG in front of the UN. On December 19, 2011, the United Nations General Assembly voted to pass a resolution adopting October 11, 2012 as the inaugural International Day of Girls.

The theme of the first IDG was “Ending child marriage.”

Theme

This year, the theme chosen by UNICEF for the International Day of Girl Child is 'Our Time Is Now — Our Rights, Our Future.'

“Investments in girls’ rights remain limited and girls continue to confront a myriad of challenges to fulfilling their potential; made worse by concurrent crises of climate change, COVID-19 and humanitarian conflict,” UNICEF noted on its website.

“Girls are ready for a decade of acceleration forward. It is time for us all to stand accountable – with and for girls – and to invest in a future that believes in their agency, leadership and potential.”

Significance
The idea behind IDG is to raise awareness on the rights of women and girls and help them unlock their true potential.

According to UN data, up to 10 million girls today are at risk of child marriage. Girls are the primary victim of sexual exploitation and nearly 1 in 4 girls globally are not in education, employment or training, compared to 1 in 10 boys.

These are issues that can become driving forces for change and a better tomorrow. International Day of the Girl Child is observed to celebrate the achievements of girls worldwide. At the same time, this day is an effort towards helping girls realise their rights, which in turn helps them unlock their potential and create a better world for themselves.