Celebrate International Day of the Girl Child: Empowering Futures

On this International Day of the Girl Child, we here at 1GEN join all communities and organizations worldwide in celebrating the potential, resilience, and strength girls everywhere possess. Reminded in thinking of a single challenge girls across the globe uniquely face, this day touts why, above anything else, girl’s empowerment must be mainstreamed.

Why This Day Matters

The United Nations has declared October 11 to be the International Day of the Girl Child- a day aimed at raising consciousness about barriers that have thus far prevented a girl from unleashing her full potential. However, in many aspects, most girls today suffer from low-quality education, health care, and a dearth of opportunities for personal as well as professional growth. Globally, a widespread reason for this is a lack of safe, clean, and empowering spaces for women and girls.

Our Commitment

1GEN, an ardent advocate for inclusivity and equality, believes in empowering girls to build stronger communities and a sustainable future. In pursuit of this goal, we invest our energies in the following activities while collaborating with Stand4SHE Education Foundation :

• Education: The organization advocates for initiatives to provide girls with proper education.
• ?Health: We advocate for health services that focus on the special requirements of the girl child.
• Leadership: We promote opportunities for girls and young women to gain leadership skills.

Stand4SHE Education Foundation: Focus on Sanitation, Hygiene, and Education

Collaboration with Stand4SHE: Archana KR started this foundation in 2018. Archana is a critical enabler in our work for girls’ empowerment. Our collaboration with the S.H.E Foundation proves effective in covering issues surrounding sanitation and menstrual hygiene—a major obstacle to girls' education.

According to national public health and safety surveys, the cleanliness and safety are inadequate of public toilets revealing that:

• 24 million schoolgirls drop out due to a lack of adequate spaces for managing menstrual hygiene.

• 63 million young girls in India do not have access to sanitary toilets.

• 50% of rapes occur when girls and women step out for open defecation.

S.H.E - The Toilet Ninja - a documentary produced by 1GEN highlights the lack of hygienic spaces for girls in schools. It follows Archana K.R. as she surveys schools and communities in Bangalore where these issues are particularly harmful.? It covers the struggle and stigma surrounding hygiene and menstruation and the domino effect of this on women’s lives and safety. It is a depiction of how education equips young girls to handle their health with dignity.

Act in your ways, and we encourage everybody as follows:

• Educate Themselves and Others: Share the knowledge of what's going on with girls all around the world.

• Support Organizations: Donate to NGOs and charities who actively support girls empowerment and hygiene education initiatives

• Advocate for Change: Use your voice for policies that will protect and empower girls.

Let's work together towards a world where every girl can reach her full potential. Share your thoughts, stories, or initiatives using the hashtag #StandforSHE and inspire others to join the movement.

Together, we make a difference.

Happy International Day of the Girl Child!