International Day of Girl Child 2024: Theme and Facts by United Nations

The International Day of the Girl 2024 will be celebrated on October 11, 2024. This year’s theme is “Girls’ Visions for the Future,” highlighting the urgent need for action and hopeful aspirations of girls around the world amid challenges ranging from climate change, conflict and poverty.

Key themes and objectives

  • Empowerment and Rights: This day aims to highlight the unique challenges girls face and promote their empowerment, rights and well-being through education, health care and violence prevention.
  • Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): The event is aligned with a number of Sustainable Development Goals, in particular:
    • Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education
    • Sustainable Development Goal 5: Gender Equality
    • SDG 10: Reduce inequality
    • SDG 16: Peace and justice.

historical background

The United Nations General Assembly institutionalized the International Day of the Girl in 2011 through resolution 66/170, recognizing it as an important step in making every girl’s voice heard and reviewing requirements to address gender disparities around the world. It has since become one of the largest platforms fighting for girls’ rights and empowerment.

Participate in activities

Organizations and communities are encouraged to participate in the following activities:

  • Community Engagement Workshop
  • Panel discussion on relevant Sustainable Development Goals.

Campaign on the International Day of the Girl to promote education and health initiatives for girls, not only raising their voices but encouraging collective action to create a more equitable future where every girl has opportunity.

The theme of the International Day of the Girl 2024 is “Lifting Girls’ Voices for Sustainable Development”, highlighting the important link between girls’ empowerment and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Links to the Sustainable Development Goals

Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education

Quality education should be provided. Education is considered the fundamental foundation for empowering girls, helping them contribute to society and achieve their goals.

Sustainable Development Goal 5: Gender Equality

This agenda is aligned with issues of gender inequality as it advocates for girls’ rights and voices. Gender empowerment is critical to achieving equality by removing systemic barriers that undermine girls’ individual potential.

SDG 10: Reduce inequality

It focuses on underprivileged girls and works to eliminate inequalities across all areas of gender, class and geographical background. This provides an opportunity for current issues they are facing to be identified and made public.

SDG 3: Good health and well-being

This theme includes health issues, particularly sexual and reproductive health rights, as they are among the issues that girls need to receive comprehensive care16. Girls’ participation in decision-making related to health issues is critical to empowering girls.

SDG 16: Peace and justice

Girls mostly suffer from violence and discrimination, especially in conflict-ridden areas close to their homes. It helps them find their voices and leads to more inclusive peace processes and even the administration of justice that take into account the issues and needs of girls.

The theme “Lifting Girls’ Voices for Sustainable Development” is more than just a call to action, but recognizes that empowering girls is integral to achieving all 17 Sustainable Development Goals. So listening to and supporting girls paves the way for a more equitable and sustainable future for everyone.