By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar wants all inhibition on the path of the girl child reaching her full potentials to be removed, as the world celebrates the International Day of the Girl child.
The International Day of the Girl Child holds every October 11 and this year’s theme is ‘My Voice, Our Equal Future.’
The former vice president, in a tweet to mark the Day, says: “The girl child is a treasured asset to the family, community and country. On this #DayofTheGirl, I repeat my call for collective effort to eliminate all barriers, including the right to an education that infringes on the rights of the #GirlChild to achieve their full potentials.”
The International Day of the Girl Child was inspired by the 1995 World Conference on Women in Beijing where countries unanimously adopted the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. It became the most progressive blueprint ever for advancing the rights of not only women but girls. The Beijing Declaration is the first to specifically call out girls’ rights.
Then, on December 19, 2011, United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 66/170 to declare October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child, to recognize girls’ rights and the unique challenges girls face around the world.
The International Day of the Girl Child focuses attention on the need to address the challenges girls face and to promote girls’ empowerment and the fulfilment of their human rights.
UNICEF, in marking the Day of the Girl Child, says the 2021 event commemorates the Generation Equality Forum (GEF), which is the launching of 5-year commitments from civil society leaders, governments, corporations and change-makers from around the world for bold gender equality impacts.
