Every year, the International Day of the Girl Child is celebrated on the 11th of October. This day of observance was declared by the United Nations and first celebrated for the first time on the 11th of October 2012. The day was instituted to support more opportunity for the girl child and to create awareness of gender inequality still faced by girls worldwide based on gender.
A huge number of girls in countries round the world continue to experience severe challenges to access education, health care, nutrition and protection from discrimination and it is vitally important that we continue to focus on improving lives of young girls, to give them the opportunity to complete education and achieve independence.
This year, Yellow Rose Launch Pad partnered with Cee-Hope Nigeria to provide ‘Keep- Girls-in-School-Kits’ to 60 girls located in 4 states of the Federal Republic of Nigeria – Lagos, Ogun, Ebonyi and Benue states. This package of basic necessities were selected to ensure that teenage girls have a fighting chance to stay in school and complete their education.
One of the components in the kit is a 6 months supply of menstrual hygiene products or sanitary pads as they are popularly called in Nigeria. Through working with Cee-Hope on a documentary that was produced for world menstrual hygiene day, Anuli Marshall a co-founder of Yellow Rose launch Pad became aware of the negative impact that period poverty has on the lives and educational chances of teenage girls from disadvantaged backgrounds. It is well documented that young girls routinely sell their bodies to be able to afford menstrual care products. The unfortunate outcome is that some girls fall pregnant which curtails their educational progress. For the girls who are lucky enough not to fall pregnant, these experiences may alter the way they value their bodies, and they may come to see their bodies as an item that can be battered in exchange for money or material goods, also a terrible outcome.
The Yellow Rose Launch Pad continues to be committed to removing barriers to girls achieving their educational dreams by providing access to basic supplies including sanitary pads and will continue to work with CEE-Hope to reach young girls in need. Our aim is to keep as many girls in full-time education as they go through this critical period of development. We also call on the Nigerian government, policy makers, the private sector and international organizations to continue to prioritize education for females by removing barriers that keep girls away from school.
Ensuring that the girl child receives the right education will unlock diverse potential that is critical for solving economic and social problems faced in many communities today. We stand with every supportive person, community and organization to celebrate the value of our female children.
Happy International Day of the Girl Child 2020.