International Day for Girl Child

International day for the girl child Day October, 11 2013

n 2011, the United Nations declared October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child, to focus attention on girls empowerment and the fulfilment of their human rights. This years observance targets education. Around the world, girls are not only deprived of education, they are punished for seeking knowledge. The most famous case is that of Malala Yousafzai who was shot in the head one year ago by Pakistani Taliban for speaking out on the need to educate Pakistani girls. Malala survived, and is now a favourite for this years Nobel Peace Prize.

Focusing on girls education

But Malalas story is only one of many. In poor countries worldwide, as well as countries in conflict, girls are deprived of education more often than their brothers. Thirty million girls around the world are not in elementary school. In Nigeria, the sixth biggest oil producer in the world, many girls receive just six months of education over their entire lives. But it is not all bad news and the International Day of the Girl Child celebrates good news, too. There are programmes like Room to Read, which works across Asia and Africa to promote literacy and gender equality in education. In India, Pace Universal nurtures the education, health, and social development of girls in the one of the worlds most impoverished regions. Well, you may be thinking, theres no problem here. In the US all girls have access to education, and girls even outnumber boys now in high school graduation rates and college enrolment. True enough. And there is no disputing that girls born in the US have won the lottery of life compared to girls in poor and war-torn countries. But despite our prosperity and universal education, we still have work to do. Girls are lagging far behind in science, math, and technology enrolment. It is a gender gap our country cannot afford, and some innovative programmes at lower levels are trying to overcome it early. Two programmes doing just that are Coastal Studies for Girls, which introduces junior high girls to marine science, and Girls Who Code which works to educate and inspire high school girls to go into computer science. Both are nurturing the female technology leaders of tomorrow. So that is the good news for this years International Day of the Girl Child. If the world works together, maybe in another generation we will not have to have a special day, because girls worldwide will at last be getting the educationand respectthey deserve. According to Unicef, the inaugural International Day of the Girl Child in 2012 focused on the issue of ending child marriage. As the lead agency for t h e D a y, U n i c e f , i n consultation with other United Nations agencies and civil society partners, selected Innovating for Girls Education as this years theme, in recognition of the importance of fresh and creative perspectives to propel girls education forward. As the nature and scale of barriers facing girls becomes more complex, innovative strategies are needed to give girls an education that prepares them for the challenges of the 21st century. As the world evaluates the gaps that still remain in achieving global goals for gender equality in education and defines an agenda that moves beyond the Millennium Development Goals, it is critical that innovation brings about solutions for improving girls education that are not only more creative, but also more effective, efficient, sustainable and just.Huffingtonpost

PHOTOGRAPH: Nation Library

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11 2013

THE NATION

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THE NATION

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11 2013

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11 2013

THE NATION

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11 2013

THE NATION

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11 2013

THE NATION

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11 2013

THE NATION

The cry of a girl child

area, including special toilets for adolescent girls in some of the schools in Traditional Authority Dambes area. But the biggest challenge remaining is to change rural peoples mindset, most of whom are illiterate. Through the Women Forum and mother groups, we have managed to convince traditional leaders and to discard cultural habits that deter girls from attaining education. A lot of girls are now enrolling in schools and some who got married have returned to school, said Masingati. Mary Kudzala one of the members of the mother groups working with ActionAid in Neno said they have also introduced role models in schools to motivate the girls. We bring to the schools successful women to act as role models. When these girls see the achievements of fellow women, they get inspired to continue with education, she said. Pauline Nkhukuzalira, a 14year-old, a student of Neno Parish community day secondary school (CDSS) says she has benefited from the work of mother groups. I thank Mrs Kudzala for bringing role models to this school who helped me see the right way after I attended chinamwali and wanted to get married, said Pauline, who has vowed to finish her education. Another NGO working in the area is Fawema, whose focus has mainly been on girls groups called Tuseme. It also works with parents and teachers associations (PTAs) in various schools to find ways of dealing with bad cultural practices that force girls into early marriages. Education for a girl child means making the next generation well-educated and not restricted to the kitchen or farms, said Fawema executive director Hendrina Gyvah. In its 2013-15 strategic plan, World Vision Malawi (WVM) plans to reach 3.5 million children in the areas of education and nutrition to make sure they are protected from abuse in any form. The organisation is advocating for child registration as one way of ensuring that government knows exactly how many girls are there in the country. n
PHOTOGRAPH: Nation Library

Singayazi Kaminjolo Staff Reporter

s the world commemorates International Day of the Girl Child, girls education in Malawi still remains a big challenge. Most parents, especially in rural areas where about 80 percent of the population is found, believe that the place of the girl-child is in the kitchen, while the male child has his full right to education. In Neno, cultural practices such as chinamwali (girls initiation) and early marriages have also contributed to the poor rate of girls education. Agnes Sohay Rafael, who heads Neno Women Forum, says chinamwali not only affects girls education, but it is also a form of gender discrimination. It is a degrading experience. I was once a nankungwi (counsellor) who used to conduct such ceremonies and I know what they go through, said Rafael. It is for such reason that organisations such as ActionAid Malawi and World Vision of

Rafael (L), Pauline and Kudzala take pride in girls education

Malawi have intervened. These non-governmental organisations have introduced mother groups and Girls SpeakOut clubs in schools to encourage girls to stay in school. ActionAid Malawi is working in partnership with Neno Women Forum. The forum ensures that girls are empowered and effectively participate in their own development. Traditional leaders now have put in punitive measure for parents who force girls to undergo chinamwali, said ActionAid Local Rights programme manager Lindani Masingati based in Neno. So far, ActionAid has invested over K20 million in the district. The money has been used to construct two houses for women teachers as one way of motivating girls. They have also constructed several school blocks in the

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11 2013

THE NATION