Since 2012, October 11 has been International Day of the Girl Child, a day established by the NGO Plan International with the UN.
On this occasion, Plan International publishes a report on child labor and the exploitation of young girls worldwide, and the statistics are overwhelming.
1 in 5 girls is not educated
Even though it is a right guaranteed by the International Convention on the Rights of the Child, 132 million girls worldwide do not have access to education, and 75% of them are teenagers.
Forced marriages are one of the main causes of girls dropping out of school. Once married, they are in a subordinate position to men and cannot pursue studies. Every year, 12 million girls are married off by force. Additionally, the violence they suffer in schools discourages them from attending.
16 million early pregnancies
The sexual violence that girls suffer, along with forced marriages, leads to early pregnancies. Nearly 16 million girls aged 15 to 19 give birth each year. Early pregnancies are the second leading cause of death among girls aged 15 to 19, as they involve complications.
63 million girls subjected to forced labor
The report by Plan International reveals that in 2021, 63 million girls aged 5 to 17 were subjected to child labor. 53 million of them are reduced to the status of domestic slaves.
This is often caused by family poverty. Girls are sacrificed and sold as domestic slaves to wealthy families.
300,000 child soldiers worldwide
Globally, there are 300,000 child soldiers, and 40% of them are girls. During wartime, they may be used as fighters, “human shields,” or even as sexual slaves.
Thus, this day, October 11, makes us aware of the situation of girls worldwide and reminds us to take action to advocate for their rights. Furthermore, the NGO suggests sponsoring a girl to combat their drop-out rate.
