Around the world millions up on millions of girls continue to remain marginalized. September 24th, International Girl Child Day, looks to bring light to the issues and awareness to the plight of girls across the globe. The fight for equality is far from new, and while historical battles have been fought and won across the globe, they are far from over. Around the globe the girl-child suffers needlessly, as daily struggles are increased by the relentless hold of history and cultural taboos. These battles for gender equality are compounded by the bureaucratic process of governments and politics.
Gender Inequality Facts:
– An estimated 39 million women and girls are "missing" in India alone due to infanticide and sex-selective abortions.
– More than 130 million girls and women alive today have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM), mainly in Africa and some Middle Eastern countries. (Frequently Asked Questions on FGM.)
– Of the estimated 500,000 to 2 million persons trafficked each year, the majority are females.
– 62 million of the 115 million children in the world who are not in school are girls.
*Sources: United Nations Development Fund for Women, “Violence Against Women — Facts and Figures”; UNICEF, “Basic Education and Gender Equality
The fight for the girl-child, is more than a fight for equality, but a fight to brake the chains of poverty, violence, illiteracy, modern slavery…it is the fight to sustainable solutions for the prosperity of all women, men and children.
India, the worlds largest democracy, is embattled in a fight for equality and this year Indian based CRY (Child Relief and You) has launched a new effort which will be focused solely on the discrimination against girls.For more information on gender inequality please see my previous posts here.
