The international Day of the Girl Child is an international observance day declared by the United Nations to support more opportunity for girls, and increases awareness of inequality faced by girls worldwide. This equality includes areas such as access to education, nutrition, legal rights, medical care, and protection from discrimination, violence and to end child marriage. October 11 2012 was the first day of the Girl Child.
Nursing our dolls as little girls, most of us girls begin learning to take care of others long before we are old enough to take care of ourselves. However, even after we outgrow our toys, we often can still use some pointers in nurturing our own souls. It can be selfish to be selfless if being selfless means we run ourselves down until we have nothing left to give.
I cannot picture a world without the girl child. I cannot picture a world where the girl child would have to sit down and not accomplish her goals and fulfil her dreams. The Girl Child is the bearer of nation and custodian of mankind; therefore she needs solitude in order to find again the true essence of herself, that firm strand which will be the indispensable centre of a whole new web of human relationships.
Female feticide and infanticide are some are the major issues facing the girl child. For many girls in developing world, at every stage of life, they are discriminated and abandoned for education, living standard and basic nutrition. Furthermore even when they are supposed to be in college, in some cultural settings they are hurriedly married off and forced to depend on others for survival. This prevents them from enjoying social or economic independence. We should also stand against genocide against girls in some parts of the world, that is gendercide. It is indeed important to save the girl child as today’s girl will be the mother of a child tomorrow.
The girl child is a living deity on this earth. She plays a vital role in the upliftment of society as she usually full of care, kindness, adoration, and understanding. Everyone should bear utmost respect for her as she is the future of the world.
By Buhlebenkosi Mlanga a WYA Africa former intern and active member.