The United Nations (UN) Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, on Friday, demanded greater investment in the education and health of the girl-child, not as a favour but as a human right to sustainable development.
She spoke during the commemoration of the International Day of the Girl Child for 2024.
The theme for the International Day of the Girl Child 2024 is: “Girls’ Vision for the Future.”
According to her, girls were showing remarkable optimism and leadership across the globe.
The UN chief said girls are at the forefront of movements combating climate change, advocating for justice, innovating in technology, and challenging limiting stereotypes.
Her words: “They are showing us they are ready to lead, and they ask us to stand with them. We must all stand with all girls everywhere.”
She, however, said despite their achievements, girls still faced immense barriers with many being subjected to early marriage and teenage pregnancies, which she lamented often truncate their education and crush their dreams.
Stressing that millions of girls face stigma and barriers affecting their health and school attendance, she stated, “We must listen to girls, amplify their voices, and create spaces for meaningful participation because there is no future without them and their vision for the future.
“Let us pledge to turn their visions into reality. Investing in girls means investing in hope, in healthier societies and in a future that benefits us all. When girls thrive, communities prosper.”
She emphasized that girls’ basic needs were too often neglected, adding that worldwide, only two out of five schools provide menstrual health education and less than one in three had adequate facilities.
According to Mohammed, globally, almost twice as many adolescent girls as boys are not in any form of education, employment, or training.
These numbers, she said, represented millions of stories of unrealized potential and unfulfilled dreams
“To the fierce advocates and activists, keep claiming your rightful place in every arena and occupy it unapologetically. Your leadership is transforming the world, and your vision is one we all need.
“Let’s keep pushing boundaries, keep amplifying the voices of sisters everywhere, especially those in conflict zones from Sudan to Ukraine to Gaza to Lebanon,” she said.
