From child marriage to health inequity, girls face many unique challenges that limit their safety, well-being and future opportunities.
The International Day of the Girl Child, observed on October 11, raises awareness of these challenges and mobilizes advocates for the rights of girls.
Compassion works to empower girls to reach their God-given potential by providing medical care, education, protection and more.
What Is the International Day of the Girl Child?
The International Day of the Girl Child is observed every year on October 11. Celebrated around the world, this day of advocacy:
Promotes the human rights of girls everywhere.
Calls attention to the unique challenges girls face.
Raises awareness about the inequalities and discrimination girls suffer.
Highlights the importance of empowering girls for the benefit of all.
The United Nations formally established the International Day of the Girl Child in December of 2011. Many years later, the need to champion the rights of girls could not be more urgent.
Why Is International Day of the Girl Child Important?
Around the world, girls face obstacles and challenges that boys don’t. They lack equal access to education and medical care. They’re at a higher risk of violence and exploitation. They’re more likely to experience poverty.
The International Day of the Girl Child shines a light on these barriers and aims to mobilize global action to ensure every girl can learn, grow, achieve and thrive.
6 Challenges Girls Face Around the World
There are over 4 billion girls and women in the world, making up over 49% of the world’s population. And these billions face many unique challenges, even from a young age.
Understanding these challenges helps us to better support them and advocate for them on the International Day of the Girl Child and every day.
1. Child Marriage
Child marriage is marriage before the age of 18. About 12 million girls per year are married in childhood around the world. While boys can be victims of child marriage too, girls make up the vast majority.
Sadly, child marriage robs girls of their futures by keeping them out of school, limiting their opportunities for careers as adults and preventing them from reaching their dreams.
It also places girls at a higher risk of domestic violence as well as early pregnancy, hindering their development and putting their bodies at risk. According to the World Health Organization, adolescent mothers (aged 10-19 years) face higher risks of eclampsia and infections.
2. Period Poverty
An estimated 500 million women and girls can’t get menstrual products or find safe facilities for managing their hygiene during their periods. Millions are also unaware of or unprepared for menstruation because of a lack of education and social stigmas in their communities.
This is what period poverty looks like, and its impacts are great. For example, many girls feel forced to miss school to avoid the potential embarrassment of going without products like tampons or pads. Missed school leads to lower grades and increased dropout risk, preventing girls from building the skills they need to thrive.
Period poverty also increases health risks as girls are forced to use whatever they can find to manage their periods, like rags or paper. Add the reality of a lack of access to safe water, and the risks are multiplied.
3. Health Inequality
The health challenges that occur with child marriage and period poverty are part of the deeper inequity of women’s healthcare. Girls around the world face barriers when it comes to caring for their bodies and minds.
For example, many girls lack access to reproductive healthcare, limiting access to contraception and safe medical guidance. Girls and women also suffer higher rates of depression and anxiety. They’re even at a much higher risk of malnutrition — recent data shows more than 1 billion girls and women suffer from undernutrition.
What drives health inequality? Cultural norms and stigmas, weak healthcare systems, poverty and even conflict are all root causes.
4. Education Barriers
Education is powerful. It builds a girl’s confidence and opens the door to a successful future. But many girls go without education. According to UNICEF, around 119 million girls are out of school worldwide.
There are many barriers to education that girls face around the world. For example, in some cultures, girls are expected to stay home and marry young to ensure they’re cared for.
Poverty also impacts education. Some girls may be forced to work to help support their families. Others may lack the resources to afford necessary uniforms and school supplies, keeping them home.
Other challenges like period poverty and health inequalities also hinder a girl’s education. Without menstrual supplies, they feel forced to hide. And without proper healthcare, if they get sick or injured, they end up missing school and falling behind.
Some girls are challenging the norm. Read this inspiring story of girls learning skills reserved for boys.
5. Gender-Based Violence and Exploitation
Girls and women are much more likely to suffer from violence. According to the World Health Organization, it’s estimated that 1 in 3 women worldwide have suffered physical and/or sexual partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime.
Gender-based violence takes many forms, such as sexual abuse, physical abuse and verbal abuse. Some forms of devastating violence arise from traditional cultural practices, such as female genital mutilation (FGM) and forced marriage.
Exploitation is also a challenge girls and women face globally. For example, girls and women are the most common victims of human trafficking involving sexual exploitation.
Gender-based violence and exploitation inflict profound physical, mental and emotional harm. For many girls, this violence leads to injuries, increased vulnerability to disease and long-term mental health challenges like severe anxiety and PTSD.
The impact doesn’t end in the moment. Instead, it can follow them throughout their lives, impacting every area, from their education to their relationships.
6. Extreme Poverty
Recent data shows that slightly more girls and women (9.2%) live in extreme poverty compared to boys and men (8.6%). Extreme poverty is the most severe form of poverty. Those who live in it are severely deprived of basic human needs, such as food, safe water, shelter and medical care.
Without these necessities, every challenge a girl may face, from health risks to violence, is intensified. For example, if violence leaves her hurt, poverty leaves her without the resources to pay for care. And without food or shelter, she may feel forced to marry young or forgo her education to work.
The barriers girls already encounter become harder to overcome, trapping many in a cycle of generational poverty.
Compassion Empowers Girls to Reach Their God-Given Potential
Girls are created in the image of God, bearing immeasurable dignity and value as gifts from him. Just like all people, they’re carefully crafted by him on purpose, with purpose. Psalm 139:14 says:
“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”
Every girl deserves to achieve her God-given potential and purpose. And that’s why at Compassion, we empower girls to do just that by caring for them mind, body and soul. With the help of local churches in impoverished communities, we equip girls with:
The gospel: Every girl we serve hears the gospel and experiences Jesus’ love for her. While their circumstances may say they’re “worthless” or “hopeless,” Jesus says they’re loved beyond measure. By hearing and experiencing the gospel, they understand their true identity in him, giving them hope and confidence to move toward a brighter future.
Protection: Children in our program are surrounded by compassionate, caring adults trained in child protection who know when to spot the signs of gender-based violence and abuse and how to intervene.
Medical care: Each girl receives an annual medical checkup to ensure she’s healthy and growing. Girls also receive access to ongoing medical care when they’re sick or hurt. At Compassion centers, girls have access to safe bathrooms, giving them a place to care for their bodies.
Nutrition: Children are regularly monitored for signs of malnutrition and provided with care such as nourishing meals, supplements and therapeutic feeding, when needed.
Education: We provide educational opportunities through tutoring, mentoring and vocational training, giving girls the skills they need to become self-sufficient, thriving adults. Girls may also receive what they need for school fees, uniforms and supplies, enabling them to stay in school.
The International Day of the Girl Child reminds us that while the challenges girls face are real, so is their resilience and our ability to stand with them. Let today inspire you to advocate for the girls God created with purpose.
