100 years of Women's Day but girls still suffer

A girl holds a school book in a classroom in Ghana. Every year a girl spends in school will increase her income by 10 to 20 per cent.

Girls throughout the world still face 'double discrimination' due to both sex and age.

While acknowledging the immense economic, political and social achievements of women past and present, much more needs to be done to enable millions of girls to reach their true potential, especially in developing countries.

Lack of opportunities and recognition for girls is one of the most pressing issues in international development.

Research has shown that investing in girls and young women has a disproportionately beneficial effect in alleviating poverty - not only for girls themselves but for their families, communities and entire countries. Girls who spend an extra year at school will on average increase their lifetime income by 10 to 20 per cent.

Ian Wishart, our chief executive says: "Women's empowerment begins with girl's empowerment. Breaking the cycle of gender discrimination requires that we promote and protect the rights of girls. At the same time we also need to equip them with the skills and opportunities they need to transform their lives and those of their communities."

Research has shown that being born a girl can be a huge disadvantage in life. In the poorest societies a girl faces greater risk of malnutrition, hunger and disease compared to her brothers. She will have fewer opportunities for an education and career. In many developing countries one out of seven girls marries before age 15.

Girls are often bundled together with women and children, with the result that their particular needs and the challenges they face at home, school and in society are neglected.

We are therefore calling for September 22 to be recognised as the international 'Day of the Girl' which, like International Women’s Day, would help to draw attention to the needs and rights of the world’s girls in an ongoing way.

We recently brought a delegation of girls and young women to the UN's Commission on theStatus of Women in New York; together they called on the international community to recognise their unique needs.

At the event Lil Shira, a young woman from Cameroon said: "Girls are being neglected, marginalised, and discriminated in families and society. Most of the girls are ignorant about their rights. The Day of the Girl will make girls feel respected, recognised and their contributions valued in society."

Find out more about the Because I am Girl campaign and the prominent Australians that are supporting it.

Plan is one of seven Australian NGOs that have combined to draw attention to the needs of women and girls through The Purse Project, a giant purse that will be in Sydney's Martin Place for International Women's Day, today.

For more information or interviews, contact:

David Cook
Media Officer
Plan International Australia
Mobile: 0448 816 900
Email: david.cook@plan.org.au
For more information about Plan go to: www.plan.org.au