Every girl deserves to live in a world free from gender-based violence and discrimination, where she has access to quality education, health care, and future employment opportunities.
The 2022 theme for the International Day of Girl is, “our time is now – our rights, our future,” and I couldn’t agree more. As I work to address many urgent challenges facing the world today, the plight of the girls, who are often the most marginalized by global conflicts and crises, is always at the top of my mind.
As we mark the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the International Day of the Girl Child, the United States remains committed to promoting and protecting the human rights of all girls and young women. We call on the world to partner with us to ensure that girls have access to safe food and water, to an education, to medical care and vaccines, and to a future free of violence where their human rights are respected.
We are commemorating this day as some girls around the world are continuing to be denied their human rights. In Afghanistan, where the Taliban refuses to allow girls to attend school after the sixth grade, we applaud the courageous actions of Afghan girls and their families as they demand this right to education be reinstated. In Iran, young women and girls are rising up in protest against their government’s violence against women in the aftermath of the horrific death of Mahsa Amini. And in northern Nigeria, communities are fighting back as Boko Haram continues to kidnap girls and force them into marriage.
We know that when girls are able to be free and full participants in global conversations, we are all better for it. We are proud to join the global community in celebrating this day and invite you to join us in lifting up the voices of girls and young women.
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