3 reasons to celebrate International Womens Day

Still today, one in five adolescent girls around the world is denied their right to an education. 

Child marriage, pregnancy, poverty, domestic work, and violence all play a role in stopping a girl from going to school. In many countries, a girl’s education is not considered as important as a boy’s and girls will often be overlooked in favour of their brothers. We know that education is crucial for development and is one of the most powerful tools in breaking the cycle of poverty and gender discrimination. 

But brave girls everywhere are standing up for an education. Nobel peace prize winner, Malala Yousafzai, bravely continues to campaign for girls’ education after being shot in the head by a Taliban gunman on her way home from school. 

Girls’ rights isn’t just an international problem 
 

Girls are being discriminated against right here on our doorstep in the UK. 

Despite being one of the most developed countries on earth, too many girls don’t feel safe online, on our streets and in our schools. In fact, sexual offences on school premises have doubled in recent years to an average of ten each school day. Nearly two-thirds of suspected victims are girls, with 94 per cent of alleged perpetrators men or boys. 

To combat this, a brave group of young people we’re working with are standing up for their rights and demanding the government makes sex and relationships education mandatory in UK schools. 

Girls are doing it for themselves
 

Despite the difficulties girls continue to face everywhere, they’re making history and standing up for their rights. And it’s having an impact on a community, national and global level. 

Our young campaigner Memory recently led a campaign to ban child marriage in Malawi. As a result of her campaign, just last month the Malawian Parliament agreed in a landslide vote to outlaw child marriage. 

The percentage of women in Parliament has doubled in the last 20 years. Women are now not only representing but also leading countries.

And every day, girls are refusing to conform to gender stereotypes in their communities and are fighting to stay in school to further their future possibilities and to end gender inequality. 

Bravery lies in every small or big act that stands up for girls’ rights. But as brave as girls are they still need our support. Celebrate the bravery of girls on International Women’s Day by joining our Because I am a Girl campaign today.