International Day of the Girl

There are 1.1 billion young girls worldwide, many of whom face challenges such as child marriage, child poverty, child labour, period poverty, female genital mutilation (FGM) and adolescent pregnancies – simply because they’re girls. These unnatural and unfair experiences remove their childhood innocence, forcing them to mature too quickly.

As a children's charity, World Vision is raising awareness of girls rights around the world. We work with communities to ensure girls are protected today, and empowered for tomorrow. Learn about the International Day of the Girl and how you can join World Vision supporters to help girls experience fullness of life.

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 around the globe.

The International Day of the Girl Child is an annual initiative marked by the United Nations every year since 2012. The day was created in order to increase the awareness of gender inequality and the adversities girls face as a result of humanitarian crises and the cycle of poverty. While these issues exist all year round, this day marks the prevalence of these issues and provokes political conversations for action.

Gender inequality statistics

650 million

girls and women globally today were married as children.

230 million

girls and women have undergone Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).

21 million

adolescent girls become pregnant in low- and middle-income countries each year

Among all the adversities young girls around the world face, they can live in the hope that one day their lives will change for the better. Whilst so many don’t have a voice, we do. Together, we can use our platform for action and transform the social wellbeing, and the futures, of these young girls.

By sponsoring a girl, you can help her break free from poverty and experience fullness of life.

Learn more about sponsoring a girl

When is International Day of the Girl?

The International Day of the Girl Child is on 11 October 2024.

#DayOfTheGirl falls on the same day every year, 11 October, with the very first occurrence happening in 2012.

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

The theme for 2024 is yet to be announced. In 2023, the theme for International Day of the Girl Child was "Invest in girls' rights: our leadership, our wellbeing".

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 of the event. Past themes include 'Ending Child Marriage', 'Empowering Adolescent Girls: Ending the Cycle of Violence', 'EmPOWER Girls: Before, during and after crises', and most recently in 2022, 'Our time is now – our rights, our future' to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the event.

Discover how Child Sponsorship benefits girls in the video below.

Why is International Day of the Girl important?

Just being a girl still comes with risks – lack of education, adolescent pregnancy, child marriage, violence against girls and young women, the list goes on and on. But, days like this shine a light on that and help us rally around young girls who need our help and our protection.

12 million girls get married each year
Many parents think periods mean they're old enough.

A child is 50% more likely to live past the age of five
If their mother is literate.

A girl is 4x less likely to be married young
If she completed eight years of school.

How sponsoring a girl can help

You can help fulfil our vision of ensuring every girl reaches her full God-given potential through our child sponsorship programme.

When you sponsor a girl, you help to break the cycle of poverty, discrimination, lack of education and child marriage. You give her the chance to enjoy opportunities she could once only dream of. Through supporting girls, we can not only help to transform their lives, but the lives of children for generations to come.

Protected today, empowered for tomorrow

World Vision has over 70 years of experience helping children to reach their dreams. We stand apart with our holistic, long-term approach that changes a child's whole world. We work to ensure girls get access to the education they deserve. We work with parents and communities to prevent child marriage. We make sure girls aren’t missing school because of their periods. We help girls have their voices heard from a young age, letting them know they can help shape their community.

Sponsor a girl

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