Tuesday, 25 August 2015

International Day of the Girl Child

The official launching of #Fight4theFoetus Campaign to take placeon the 11th of October 2015, the International Day of the Girl Child



The official launching of the nationwide campaign ‘Fight4theFoetus’ against female foeticide is proposed to coincide with the International Day of the Girl Child, on the 11th of October, 2015.  This day was selected as the most appropriate day because it is on that day that the world celebrates the girl child and declares aloud that all types of gender injustice and gender inequality should end. 

Resolution No. 66/170 to declare 11 October as the International Day of the Girl Child was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 19, 2011, to recognize the rights of the girls and help them meet the unique challenges they face around the world.  This decision was in recognition of the fact that empowerment of and investment in girls is critical for the achievement of millennium development goals.

The observation of the International Day encourages more opportunities for girls and is intended to increase awareness of gender inequality faced by girls.  Right to education and health, protection from discrimination and violence and legal rights are some of the focus points. October 11, 2012, was the first Day of the Girl Child.

The resolution states that the International Day of the  Girl Child recognizes “the empowerment of and investment in girls, which are critical for economic growth, the achievement of all Millennium Development Goals, including the eradication of poverty and extreme poverty, as well as the meaningful participation of girls in decisions that affect them, are key in breaking the cycle of discrimination and violence and in promoting and protecting the full and effective enjoyment of their human rights”      

Though the proposal for the observance of International Day of the Girl Child was formally made as a resolution sponsored by Ms. Rona Ambrose, Canada's Minister for the Status of Women, in 2011, the basic groundwork goes back to the Fourth World Conference on Women in September, 1995, which had adopted the Beijing Declaration and Platform for action for better treatment of women and girls.  The 50th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations endorsed this declaration.  The declaration contained the following important clauses:

 “15. Equal rights, opportunities and access to resources, equal sharing of responsibilities for the family by men and women, and a harmonious partnership between them are critical to their well-being and that of their families as well as to the consolidation of democracy”


23. Ensure the full enjoyment by women and the girl child of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and take effective action against violations of these rights and freedoms;

24. Take all necessary measures to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women and the girl child and remove all obstacles to gender equality and the advancement and empowerment of women;”

29. Prevent and eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls;

31. Promote and protect all human rights of women and girls;”


Each year the International Day of the Girl Child has a theme.  The first theme, in 2012, was “ending child marriage", the second, in 2013, was "innovating for girl's education", and the third, in 2014, was "Empowering Adolescent Girls: Ending the Cycle of Violence."

NGOs and official and non-official welfare agencies around the world celebrate the day with innovative programmes for the betterment of the weaker sex.   It is on that day that the issues connected with gender discrimination are highlighted and solutions discussed.  That is why, this day, October 11, was chosen to be day on which Fight4theFoetus Campaign is officially launched. 

All types of discrimination against the girl child, including the prenatal slaughter through foeticide and post-natal infanticide, the denial of education to the young girls, the premature and forced marriage, the exclusion from share in family property, the barring from religious rites, the discouragement of remarriage after the death of her husband and all such forms of gender injustice must end.

Let us all join the fight for the rights of the girl child and the rights of the unborn foetus.

++++ Join Us on

FaceBook : https://www.facebook.com/fight4foetusTwitter: https://twitter.com/fight4thefoetusGoogle Plus:  https://plus.google.com/u/0/105760359364894618329/postsYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChtOawtBgxuhFKCpOayHkxwBlog: http://fight4thefoetus.blogspot.in/Website: http://fight4thefoetus.org/

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