Today is ‘International Day Of The Girl Child’

The President of Liberia, Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, has issued aProclamation declaring today, Tuesday, October 11, 2016, as“International Day of the Girl Child,” to be observed throughout theRepublic as a Working Holiday.

According to a Foreign Ministry release, the event will be celebratedunder the global theme, “Girls Progress – Goals Progress: A GlobalGirl Data Movement”, while the Day will be observed under the nationaltheme: “Make It Counts: Advancing an Integrated Movement for GirlsEmpowerment.”

The Proclamation called on local and international organizations,including UNICEF, Plan-Liberia, Government Ministries and Agenciesconcerned to join the Ministry of Gender, Children and SocialProtection in executing appropriate programs befitting the occasion.

The release further stated that the global community continues to makesignificant progress in improving the livelihood of girls throughquality elementary, secondary and higher education avoidingchild-marriage, receiving information and services related to pubertyand reproductive health, as well as admonishing them to be cautious about unwanted pregnancy and sexually-transmitted disease andgender-based violence.

The Proclamation also indicated that it is in this light that theGovernment of Liberia, through the Ministry of Gender, Children andSocial Protection, in collaboration with partners and stakeholders,will be celebrating this year’s International Day of the Girl Child.

The Proclamation is in consonance with the United Nations GeneralAssembly Resolution 66/170, which was adopted December 19, 2011declaring October 11, of each year as the International Day of theGirl Child in recognition of girls’ rights, which are critical for theeradication of poverty and breaking the cycle of discrimination and violence.