International day of the girl
International day of the girl
International Day of the Girl takes place every year on 11th October and it is a day to celebrate the incredible potential of girls and highlight the barriers they face.
Globally, 40% of girls don't finish secondary school due to poverty, conflict and discrimination. But against all odds, girls are determined to learn and challenge the inequalities they see around them.
We want to make sure that International Day of the Girl becomes more than just a day in the calendar - and here's why.
International Day of the Girl 2024
We marked International Day of the Girl 2024 with an installation in front of London’s Tower Bridge.
Lifelike ice sculptures sat among six of the 10 desks, while the four empty desks contained absence notes to teachers. The sculptures were based on girls from Gaza, Sudan and Afghanistan – some of the toughest places for girls to access education. The installation visually highlighted the fragility of education and the four in 10 girls frozen out of education worldwide.
The absence notes that were placed on the desks were based on real girls’ stories and explained what had forced them from the classroom.
why we need change
girls are out of school worldwide
of girls don't finish secondary school
times more likely for girls living in conflict settings to be out of school
UK celebrities highlight the importance of girls' education
UK celebrities, including Olympic legend Becky Adlington, Loose Women’s Charlene White, and presenter and podcaster Kate Lawler, teamed up with Plan International UK to highlight the importance of girls' education, for our International Day of the Girl campaign this year. Posing with their childhood photos they reflect on their education:
Charlene White said: “Education is everything. When girls can’t finish school, it holds them back from being in control of their own life.”
Meanwhile, Becky Adlington said: “Growing up in a sporting household where me and my sisters swam meant I always lived in the shadow of my big sisters. Now I feel like I’ve got more of a voice and my own identity.”
Kate Lawler reflects: “I think the impact my education had on who I am today is monumental.”
Opportunities beyond the classroom
Opportunities beyond the classroom
Every girl taking a seat in the classroom is just the start. Girls belong in seats of power and influence too. That’s where Girls’ Takeover comes in.
Girls' Takeover is organised by Plan International every year for International Day of the Girl. It's a chance for girls and young women to take over leadership positions for the day and champion the potential of girls.
While girls are still held back from pursuing certain careers or leadership positions, their dreams will continue to hang just out of reach.
This year Ford, Service Now and several others welcomed girls and young women into takeover roles, including 21-year-old Tatiana:
Girls tend to avoid going into STEM, not because they don’t have the skills to do so, but because they don’t see other women doing it and they think it’s not their place. I think it’s important to be vocal about the fact that with hard work and dedication, anyone can go into STEM roles.
Tatiana, 21
DAY OF THE GIRL IN PREVIOUS YEARS
Find out more about our previous international day of the girl campaigns
Together with Girls
Together with girls we can make sure that International Day of the Girl becomes more than just a day in the calendar.
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