On this World Population Day, marked on 11 July, communities around the globe will highlight the need to address challenges to ensure girls can participate fully in society. A day to bring attention to the urgency and importance of population issues, including a rapidly growing global youth population to the need to address global hunger.
This year’s theme is “investing in teenage girls”. Critical to this theme is the accessibility of basic healthcare, especially sexual and reproductive health services.
Forced marriage, early motherhood and gender-based violence form the greatest barriers to girls’ access to education. Many are considered by their communities or parents to be ready for marriage and motherhood.
Many are forced from school, damaging their future prospects. Even among girls who stay in school, access to basic information about their health, human rights and reproductive rights can be hard to come by, leaving them vulnerable to illness, injury and exploitation.
These challenges are exacerbated among marginalized girls, such as members of ethnic minorities or those living in poverty or remote areas. Let us give our hand to this.. Whatever we can do.. lets step out..
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