CARE marks International Day of the Girl by shifting the narrative

Today marks the 10th anniversary of?International Day of the Girl, a?day?we at CARE join with others to lift up the voices of girls everywhere. And we raise all of our voices to address the unique challenges girls face and commit to girl-driven change, resilience, and leadership.

We often focus on the gendered barriers that disproportionately affect girls, but this year we are using?International Day of the Girl?to shift the narrative.?Though the last year and a half has been enormously challenging, we are also witnessing girls take the lead: charging ahead to build resilience for themselves, their families, and their communities.

This year the theme is?“Digital Generation. Our Generation.”?The COVID-19 pandemic was the?greatest disruptor on education in our lifetime, and?girls?were the first to be kept home from school. Throughout this crisis, however, CARE’s programming successfully kept in touch with girls and their supportive networks – both in person and through mobile phones – to bridge many of these gaps.

At CARE we asked our staff to consider a few simple actions to mark this day – and a few are things anyone can easily do:

• Ask a girl in your life what she is passionate about.?Have a conversation about her dreams. Let her know she is supported.?
• Share this new video highlighting a CARE program which supports out-of-school adolescents.?SOAR: You can never uneducate a girl?

CARE stands in solidarity with the millions of girls around the world who continue to give us hope through their resilience, audacity, and leadership. As?we mark?International Day of the Girl?this year, we resolve to continue amplifying and centering their voices through dedicated collective action and meaningful change-making.

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