Empowering Futures: Celebrating the International Day of the Girl Child

Empowering Futures: Celebrating the International Day of the Girl Child

Published October 14, 2024


October 11th—The International Day of the Girl Child (IDG), as coined by the United Nations, has been a worldwide day of celebration and call to attention on women and women’s issues since 2011. Women and girls all over the world are subject to countless struggles and challenges, simply because of their gender. This fact has stood true for centuries, I say it’s been long enough. 

This year’s theme for IDG is “Girls’ Vision for the Future”. The girls of today look to the future with the hope that they can fulfill their dreams and live out their days as they wish. However, societal pressures, social norms, and professional inequalities make those dreams difficult, especially in The Gambia. Gambian women are held to a standard levels above their male counter parts. So many girls, regardless of social class, have high responsibilities and expectations put on them from an early age. Whether it’s the pressures of school, chores, helping with bringing income through the door, marriage, or all pressures at once, women and girls are tired.

In The Gambia, women’s roles are seen as secondary to men, as though their contributions don’t keep many families afloat. Girls are growing up in an environment where traditional gender roles are enforced, often leaving little to no room for personal growth or development. Despite these setbacks, however, women in the Gambia still manage to push back and follow their dreams. They’re starting businesses, earning degrees, winning awards and defying the system that oppresses them.  Women all over The Gambia are uplifting their communities and being change-makers.

Girls around the world are standing up for their rights, advocating for change, and demanding to be seen as equals. From climate change activists in Europe to young leaders in Asia fighting for access to education, girls are taking their futures into their own hands. The theme “Girls’ Vision for the Future” emphasizes that girls’ dreams and ambitions should no longer be silenced or sidelined. The role of the woman is no longer to sit and be pretty; to be seen and not heard. They imagine futures where their gender doesn’t dictate their opportunities, and where they can pursue their passions without fear or limitation.

The International Day of the Girl Child is not just a moment to recognize the obstacles girls face, but a call to action. It is a reminder that we must listen to and support the dreams of girls from every corner of the globe, ensuring they have the resources and opportunities to turn their visions into reality. Fight now for every woman and girl around the word, so we don’t have to endure another 200,000 years of fighting.