Listen to girls
International Day of the Girl 2020
Listen to girls
International Day of the Girl 2020
Coronavirus is putting girls at risk. From missed education and the increased threat of child marriage, to street harassment and online abuse – girls’ rights are at risk.
This International Day of the Girl, we’re celebrating the voices of powerful girls around the world, and standing with them as they take on the issues that matter to them.
Today we stand with girls to speak out against gender inequality – and now more than ever we need you to stand with us. Together we can change girls’ futures for the better.
billion children
in 184 countries were out of school at the peak of the lockdown
additional child marriages
could take place in the next 10 years because of the coronavirus crisis
girls aged between 14 and 21
experienced public sexual harassment during lockdown in the UK
STAND WITH GIRLS: WATCH THE FILM
TAKE THE QUIZ: WHAT'S YOUR ACTIVIST STYLE?
#ListenToGirls: Uma
In India, Uma was due to be married when she was only 12 years old. But her mum made sure her daughter had the opportunity to go to school – something she never had.
Now Uma is determined other girls have the chance to build their own futures and through her role as a social worker, she’s already changed lives.
“I was able to prevent child marriages, convince early school leavers to go back to school and I gave lessons to adults during the evenings,” she says. “It spurred me on to help girls and women who have been through similar experiences to me.”
#ListenToGirls: Xiomara
The coronavirus crisis has caused school closures across the globe. At the peak of lockdown, more than 1.6 billion children were out of school in 184 countries.
In Peru, Xiomara is one of those girls. Before lockdown, she was happy at school. Now she and her younger brother help around the house with cleaning and feeding their pigs.
But Xiomara firmly believes that this crisis can bring out the best in people and she hopes to return to school soon. "After school I want to be a nurse. I want to help people in my community and other places," she says.
#ListenToGirls: Cathy
In Uganda, Cathy regularly uses social media to keep in touch with friends. But soon after she joined, she experienced an unsettling incident of online harassment.
“A guy came into my inbox and said ‘hi’. The following day when I woke up, I found he had sent me his nude pictures. I was shocked,” she explains.
“People may not see the effects of online harassment, but it can lead to depression, even death. Many people have been at home, and the only thing they could use was the internet. I think girls should be offered more protection online.”
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