International Day of the Girl
On December 19, 2011, the United Nations General Assembly declared October 11 as the International Day of the Girl, to recognize girls’ rights and the unique challenges girls face around the world.
The International Day of the Girl focuses attention on the need to address the challenges girls face and to promote girls’ empowerment and the fulfilment of their human rights.
Girls have the right to a safe, educated, and healthy life, not only during their formative years, but also as they mature into women. If effectively supported and educated, girls have the potential to change the world – both as the empowered girls of today and as tomorrow’s workers, entrepreneurs, mentors, household heads, political leaders, and mothers. An investment in realising the power of girls upholds their rights today and promises a more equitable and prosperous future, one in which half of humanity is an equal partner in solving the problems of climate change, political conflict, economic growth, disease prevention, and global sustainability.
"To achieve gender equality in education across the globe, we must sustain our efforts, equipping girls with tools and fostering environments conducive to their success."
"To achieve gender equality in education across the globe, we must sustain our efforts, equipping girls with tools and fostering environments conducive to their success."
Celebrations in 2023
Eleven years since the first International Day of the Girl, the world is celebrating the many ways in which girls are transforming how we live, learn, communicate, and create. For a start, UNESCO data shows that there are 50 million more children in school today than there were when the global education goal, SDG 4, was set in 2015.
If we want this progress to continue, we must maintain our efforts. Far too many girls remain unable to fulfil their right to education: poverty, child marriage, early pregnancy and child or domestic labour hold them back. 122 million girls are still out of school.
Countries around the world came together in 2022 and agreed to transform education for the world of today – with a renewed focus on leaving no one behind. UNESCO and its partners are tracking action on the Transforming Education Summit commitments with the aim to promote and ensure gender equality in and through education.
