Children's Day is a date that has been celebrated for decades, but it was considered that girls deserved to have an exclusive day because of their vulnerable situation. After having been promoted by the International Plan organization, since 2012, every October 11, the International Girl's Day, a date to call attention to the need to work for education, development and defense of the rights of girls in the world.
The theme chosen this year is the Girls' equality, the importance of investing in them as a key to development, given that their progress is not only good for them, but also for their families, communities, nations and the world. Girls have always changed the world, this generation can do even better.
Empower girls
Child marriage, female genital mutilation, teenage pregnancy, sexual abuse, violence and discrimination are some of the atrocities suffered by millions of girls in the world. Because they are girls, they are more vulnerable. In many developing countries, they have fewer rights than boys, do not have access to education, must stay at home taking care of their siblings or working while their siblings study, being more prone to marginalization simply because they are girls .
A report released by UNICEF highlights the gender inequality that occurs in households since the first years of life. Girls spend 40% more time than boys, or 160 million hours more, every day, working at home.
Both in those disadvantaged countries and in the rest of the world the mission is to strengthen their abilities and skills so that girls be autonomous and empowered women in the future, as well as involving boys to generate real change.
"Investing in girls is a correct and at the same time intelligent decision, which can have powerful repercussions in all areas of development and even in future generations." - Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary GeneralIn the celebrations of the International Day of the Girl and in support of the defense of the rights of the girls, countries around the world light up their most emblematic buildings in pink.
In Spain, numerous monuments and buildings have joined the initiative over the years, such as the Segovia Aqueduct, the Wall of Avila, the Alhambra in Granada, the facade of the Palacio de Cibeles in Madrid, the Hanging Houses of Cuenca and the Santiago Bernabéu stadium, among others.
