Three girls from Ghana standing side by side outdoors with their arms crossed, with trees and a thatched building in the background.

International Day of the Girl: Stand with girls

Learn more about this day and how your sponsorship can transform a girl's life.

Sponsor a girl

Across the world, girls face barriers including child marriage, child poverty, child labour, period poverty, female genital mutilation (FGM) and adolescent pregnancies – simply because they’re girls. These challenges can restrict their education, health, safety and future choices.

World Vision works with children, families and local leaders to tackle the causes of poverty and inequality. On International Day of the Girl 2026, you can stand with girls by learning about the issues, sharing their voices and sponsoring a girl.

LEARN ABOUT: World Children's Day

What is International Day of the Girl?

The International Day of the Girl is observed annually to recognise girls' rights and to promote their empowerment.

International Day of the Girl is a United Nations observance held every year on 11 October. It champions girls’ rights, draws attention to gender inequality, the adversities girls face as a result of humanitarian crises and the cycle of poverty amplifying girls’ voices, and provoking political action. The UN General Assembly established the day through Resolution 66/170, and it was first observed in 2012.

When is International Day of the Girl?

International Day of the Girl is on Sunday, 11 October 2026.  #DayOfTheGirl is observed on the same day, 11 October every year. 

What is this year’s International Day of the Girl theme?

This year’s International Day of the Girl theme is ‘End child marriage and invest in girls’ rights’. It calls for urgent action so that every girl can learn, grow, make her own choices and define her future.

According to UNICEF, the theme was developed through consultation with girls, girl-led networks, civil society organisations and United Nations partners. Their priorities include keeping girls in school, strengthening protection and services, challenging harmful norms and supporting girls’ leadership.

Each year, a different theme is chosen to help create a focal point for the campaign, and this has been the case since the inception. In 2025, the theme was 'The girl I am, the change I lead: Girls on the frontlines of crisis'.

Watch how Child Sponsorship benefits girls. 

 

Learn more about sponsoring a girl

Why is International Day of the Girl important?

International Day of the Girl is important because girls can face overlapping disadvantages because of their age and gender. The day makes these inequalities more visible, centres girls’ own voices and encourages governments, communities and supporters to act.

Education - poverty, caring responsibilities, unsafe schools and child marriage can prevent girls from completing their education.

Safety - girls can face child marriage, exploitation, FGM and other forms of violence.

Health and dignity - inadequate healthcare, clean water, sanitation and menstrual support can affect wellbeing and school attendance.

Voice and opportunity - girls need meaningful influence over the decisions that affect their lives and futures.

Key facts about the challenges girls face

How sponsoring a girl can help

Sponsoring a girl can help by supporting long-term, community-led programmes that can improve girls' access to education, clean water, healthcare, nutrition and child protection. The £30 a month you donate does not go directly to one child or family; it is combined with other donations to create wider and more lasting change.

Help girls stay in school

Sponsorship supports community-wide improvements such as classroom equipment, teacher training, clean water and safe sanitation. These measures help remove practical barriers that can cause girls to miss school or leave education early.

Protect girls from child marriage and violence

World Vision works with girls, parents, community leaders and local partners to strengthen child protection, challenge harmful practices and help girls understand and exercise their rights.

Improve health, clean water and opportunities

Our community programmes improve access to clean water, sanitation, healthcare and nutritious food, while helping families develop more secure livelihoods. Because our approach supports the whole community, for every child sponsored, four more children benefit too.

Five young determined girls stood together in Cambodia

Your sponsorship of one girl breaks the cycle of poverty in her life, and has a ripple effect. For every child sponsored, four more benefit too.

How you can help on International Day of the Girl

You can help on International Day of the Girl by sponsoring a child, sharing girls’ stories or by learning more about the barriers they face. Your support can help keep girls’ rights visible beyond 11 October.

Sponsor a girl from £30 a month

Help fund community-led programmes supporting education, clean water, healthcare, nutrition and child protection. Sponsor a girl.

Learn about the barriers girls face

Explore World Vision’s work addressing child marriage, period poverty, FGM and violence against women and girls.

Share the campaign and girls’ voices

Use #DayOfTheGirl to share this year’s theme and amplify girls’ own priorities, experiences and leadership, and invite others to sign up for World Vision updates.

Read and amplify girls’ stories

Connect the global statistics with real experiences by reading Vithalin’s sponsorship story and meeting five women and girls changing their worlds.

How Child Sponsorship is changing lives

  • The United Nations General Assembly established International Day of the Girl Child through Resolution 66/170 in December 2011. The first observance took place on 11 October 2012.

  • Sponsoring a girl starts from just £30 a month, that’s less than £1 a day. A small donation that creates a big impact because our sponsorship model is community-led, so your support extends beyond one child and will help transform a whole community. 

  • The donation you give doesn't go directly to your sponsored child or family. 

    For maximum impact and efficiency, your monthly donations are combined with those of other sponsors to ensure consistent support for your sponsored child and their community, as well as other sponsorship communities around the world. This means your donations go much further.

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