International Day of the Girl Child 2016 observed across the world

October 11: International Day of the Girl Child

The 2016 International Day of the Girl Child (IDGC) was observed across the world on 11 October 2016 with the theme Girls' Progress = Goals' Progress: What Counts for Girls.

The theme for the 2016 IDGC asks for a call for action for increased investment in collecting and analyzing girl-focused, girl-relevant and sex-disaggregated data.

Child Marriage: A barrier in girls’ progress

• Globally, one in seven adolescent girls aged 15 - 19 are currently married or in union.

• In developing countries (excluding China), one in every three girls is married before reaching age 18.

• Girls who are married early often face a cascade of other human rights abuses. They are more vulnerable to physical and sexual violence.

• They are often pulled out of school to take on domestic responsibilities. They are less able to advocate for themselves and their rights.

• Child marriage is often followed by pregnancy, even if a girl is not yet physically or mentally ready. Every day, over 20000 girls under age 18 give birth in developing countries.

• Across the globe, rates of child marriage are highest in sub-Saharan Africa, where around 4 in 10 girls marry before age 18; about one in eight were married or in union before age 15.

About International Day of the Girl Child

• It was created by the United Nations through a resolution in 2011.

• Its objective is to promote the rights of girls and address the unique challenges they face.

• It was held for the first time on 11 October 2012.

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