International Day of the Girl

(Young girls in a classroom at the opening of a education centre for Syrian children in Kahramanmaras)

October 11th, International Day of the Girl, is a UN initiative set up to promote the rights of girls around the world. It aims to highlight the realities of life as a girl across the globe and the challenges they face with regards to education, equal opportunity, healthcare, child marriage and sexual violence.

The worlds 1.1 billion girls are "part of a large and vibrant global generation poised to take on the future." Although not every girl will face all of the challenges mentioned, almost every girl will encounter at least one of them.

The theme for this year is Girls Progress = Goals' Progress: What Counts for Girls, a theme designed to highlight the fact that what is good for girls is also good for driving progress across society and ending poverty. Not only is progress good for the girls, but also good for families, communities and society. When we invest in girls' health, safety, rights and education, we empower them to reach for their goals and build better lives for themselves.

One in three girls in developing countries get married before the age of 18. Child brides usually means that they miss out on life experiences such as education, a career and more likely to be vulnerable to physical and sexual violence.

It's not just a day; it's a movement. They want women and girls everywhere to be seen as equals in the eyes of others and in their own eyes.