In 2011, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution adopting 11 October as the International Day of the Girl Child, recognizing girls’ rights and the unique challenges girls around the world face realizing them.

UNFPA works to protect the health and rights of adolescent girls through access to sexual and reproductive health counselling, information and services; comprehensive sexuality education; and through encouraging girls' empowerment and participation in the decisions that most affect them. UNFPA also works with boys and men to advance gender equality, and to encourage the abandonment of harmful practices and stereotypes.

My Voice, Our Equal Future

Progress for adolescent girls has not kept pace with the realities they face today, and COVID-19 has reinforced many of these gaps. This year, under the theme, “My Voice, Our Equal Future”, let’s seize the opportunity to be inspired by what adolescent girls see as the change they want, the solutions- big and small- they are leading and demanding across the globe.

In 2020, we commemorate 25 years since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action – the global agenda for advancing the rights and empowerment of women and girls, everywhere. Generation Equality was also launched in early 2020 as a multi-year, multi-partner campaign and movement for bold action on gender equality. A clear narrative and actions related to the needs and opportunities of adolescent girls and their solutions is central to the Generation Equality mission.

As adolescent girls worldwide assert their power as change-makers, International Day of the Girl 2020 will focus on their demands to:

• Live free from gender-based violence, harmful practices, and HIV and AIDS  
   
• Learn new skills towards the futures they choose  
   
• Lead as a generation of activists accelerating social change

Ways to get involved

Share stories of inspiring adolescent girls or girl-led organizations who are developing innovative solutions or leading efforts towards positive social change, including gender equality, in their communities and nations. Let’s amplify their leadership, actions and impact to inspire others.  

Participate in a youth-led digital activation launching on International Day of the Girl. Young people across the world are developing a digital activism campaign, aiming to raise the diversity of girls’ voices and their vision for a reimagined future.