Nafisa, 16, from Ghana, spoke out for girls “whose dreams are shaken by the crisis,” like a friend from a nearby village who had to drop out of school after the conflict broke out but joined a study group to continue learning.
“Her story reminds us that girls are strong, determined and never give up,” she said in a video message.
A world where girls can lead
The International Day is celebrated annually on October 11 and the event brought this year’s theme to life. We are here: bold, diverse and unstoppable: we demand action for girls’ rights.
Parents, chaperones and mentors were encouraged to sit in red chairs at the back of the room while “virtual moderator” Andrea in Bolivia welcomed attendees, who were urged to use only their names as a safety precaution.
“All over the world, girls dream big, support each other and raise their voices for justice,” she said in Spanish.
“We may live in different places and speak different languages, but we share a dream: a world where all girls can learn, lead and live without fear.”
UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock advised participants to follow their interests “with passion” and do what they love with all their hearts.
“My dream for you is that every day you do exactly that… and that nothing and no one stops you,” he said.
“No man, no religion, no legislation, no system that tries to silence you, no criticism or bullying from others at school or in these online times. Not even what can often seem like the loudest voice of all: your own doubts.”
Caught in crisis
The commemoration took place as countries mark 30 years since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration on Women’s Rights and the World Program of Action for Youth.
Yet despite these global promises, “girls around the world are enduring the impacts of catastrophic climate change, armed conflict, food insecurity, and systemic gender-based violence and discrimination,” said Michael Gort, Deputy Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations.
He urged governments, civil society and the international community as a whole to “go beyond promises and achieve real results”, stating that “our role is to listen, support and act, guided by your experience and knowledge”.
Solidarity and commitment
Another moderator, Eleni, called for a moment of silence for all girls “whose voices need to be heard,” including those in war zones, violent situations or in rural areas or indigenous communities. They were represented by an empty “solidarity chair” on the podium.
Later, Ms. Baerbock gathered the room to take a “solidarity selfie” with girls in Afghanistan, who continue to face restrictions on their rights.
For its part, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) “is committed to girl-powered programs” in more than 80 countries, focused on areas such as protection, health, nutrition and economic empowerment, said Lauren Rumble, Associate Director for Gender Equality.
Additionally, 10 percent of UNICEF’s approximately $7 billion annual spending will go to networks for girls and women.
“We know that all of you are capable of designing the change you want to see and making it happen. So what we need to do is make sure that we put the resources and investments directly in your hands so that you can do it better and at scale,” he said.
Markella, who represented the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, stressed the power of solidarity.
“Every girl has the ability to defend another girl,” she said.
“Even if you don’t have a UN microphone at your disposal, I urge you to work to create a safe environment for your fellow women in any space and elevate the voices of your peers.”