The International Day of the Girl Child is adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. It should draw attention to the future women’s problem

For it first observance, this year’s Day will focus on child marriage, which is fundamental human rights violation and impacts all aspects of a girl’s life. Globally, around one in three young women aged 20-24 years were first married before they reached age 18.

Child marriage divorces girls from the opportunity. It jeopardizes health, increases exposure to violence and abuse, and results in early and unwanted pregnancies - an often life-threatening risk. If a mother is under the age of 18, her infant’s  risk of dying in its first year of life is 60 per cent greater than that of an infant born to a mother older than 19 says UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon.

In developing countries more than 30 % girls are getting married before they reach 18 years of age, about 14 % are getting married before they reach 15 years of age. Early marriage is a risk factor for early pregnancy and negative effects on reproductive health. In addition, it perpetuates the cycle of poverty and inadequate education.

The Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said at the occasion of the International Day of the Girl Child (11 October 2012):

Girls face discrimination, violence and abuse every day across the world. This alarming reality underpins the International Day of the Girl Child, a new global observance to highlights the importance of empowering girls and ensuring their human rights.

Investing in girls is a moral imperative – a matter of basic justice and equality. It is an obligation under the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. It is also critical for achieving the Millennium Developing Goals, advancing economic growth and building peaceful, cohesive societies.

For this inaugural day, the United Nations is focusing on the issues of child marriage. Globally, around one in three young women aged 20-24 years – approximately 70 million - were married before the age of 18. Despite a decline in the overall proportion of child brides in the last 30 years, the challenge persists, particularly in rural areas and among the poorest. If present trends continue, the number of girls who will marry by their 18th birthday will climb towards 150 million in the next decade.

Child marriage divorces girls from the opportunity. It jeopardizes health, increases exposure to violence and abuse, and results in early and unwanted pregnancies - an often life-threatening risk. If a mother is under the age of 18, her infant’s risk of dying in its first year of life is 60 per cent greater than that of an infant born to a mother older than 19.

Education for girls is one of the best strategies for protecting girls against child marriage. When they are able to stay in school and avoid being married early, girls can build a foundation for a better life for themselves and their families. And if they have already been married young, access to education, economic opportunities and health services – including HIV prevention and sexual and reproductive health will help enrich their lives and enhance their future  

I urge Government, community and religious leader, civil society, the private sector, and families especially men and boys, to promote the rights of girls, including through the relevant Conventions, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, and the Programs of Action of the International Conference on Population Development. Let us to be guided by the theme of today’s observance – “my life, my right, end child marriage” – and let us do our part to let be girls, not brides.  

Theme for 2012: Ending Child marriage

On December 19, 2011, the 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.

For its first observance, this year’s Day will focus on child marriage, which is a fundamental human rights violation and impacts all aspects of a girl’s life. Child marriage denies a girl of her childhood, disrupts her education, limits her opportunities, increases her risk to be a victim of violence and abuse, jeopardizes her health and therefore constitutes an obstacle to the achievement of nearly every Millennium Development Goal (MDG) and the development of healthy communities.

Globally, around one in three young women aged 20-24 years were first married before they reached age 18. One third of them entered into marriage before they turned 15. Child marriage results in early and unwanted pregnancies, posing life-threatening risks for girls. In developing countries, 90 per cent of births to adolescents aged 15-19 are to married girls, and pregnancy-related complications are the leading cause of death for girls in this age group.

Girls with low levels of schooling are more likely to be married early, and child marriage has been shown to virtually end a girl’s education. Conversely, girls with secondary schooling are up to six times less likely to marry as children, making education one of the best strategies for protecting girls and combating child marriage.

Preventing child marriage will protect girls’ rights and help reduce their risks of violence, early pregnancy, HIV infection, and maternal death and disability, including obstetric fistula. When girls are able to stay in school and avoid being married early, they can build a foundation for a better life for themselves and their families and participate in the progress of their nations.

Activities and events to mark the Day are organized by UNFPA, UNICEF, UN Women.

Governments in partnership with civil society actors and the international community are called upon to take urgent action to end the harmful practice of child marriage and to:

Enact and enforce appropriate legislation to increase the minimum age of marriage for girls to 18 and raise public awareness about child marriage as a violation of girls’ human rights.

Improve access to good quality primary and secondary education, ensuring that gender gaps in schooling are eliminated.

Mobilize girls, boys, parents, leaders, and champions to change harmful social norms, promote girls’ rights and create opportunities for them.

Support girls who are already married by providing them with options for schooling, sexual and reproductive health services, livelihoods skills, opportunity, and recourse from violence in the home.

Address the root causes underlying child marriage, including gender discrimination, low value of girls, poverty, or religious and cultural justifications.

Source: http://www.un.org/ru/events/girlchild/