Girls Are ‘Demanding Their Voices Be Heard — It Is High Time We Listened’, Says Secretary-General, in Message for International Day

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for the International Day of the Girl Child, observed on 11 October:

The potential of the world’s more than 1.1 billion girls is limitless.  But, as we creep closer to the 2030 deadline for the Sustainable Development Goals, the world continues to fail girls.

Girls account for more than 70 per cent of new adolescent HIV infections.  They are almost twice as likely as boys to miss out on education or training.  And child marriage remains widespread, with approximately one in five girls globally married before the age of 18.  Across the world, hard-won gains for gender equality are being erased by a war on the fundamental rights of women and girls, endangering their lives, restricting their choices and limiting girls’ futures. 

The theme of this year’s International Day of the Girl Child is “Girls’ Vision for the Future”.

Girls already have a vision of a world where they can thrive.  They are working to turn that vision into action, and demanding their voices be heard.  It is high time we listened.  We must provide girls with a seat at the table, through education, and by giving them the resources they need and opportunities to participate and lead.

The courage, hope and determination of girls are a force to be reckoned with.  It is time for the world to step up and help transform their vision and aspirations into reality.