Let Girls be Girls: International Day of the Girl Child

Confession: I have never carried a bucket of water on my head; I’ve never had to. 

I recently wrote a story about it though, In Her Shoes https://www.worldpulse.com/community/users/ikabia/posts/96663

It is centered around a group of girls fetching water and discussing the fear and uncertainty that the majority of girls face around the world; the increased incidence of sexual gender based violence (SGBV) against girls and women. 

In honour of International Day of the Girl on Sunday October 11, I posed a challenge to other women leaders. 

I posted a photo of myself carrying a bucket of water, and challenged them to do the same, to bring attention to the plight of girls and women; the hard work they endure under dangerous circumstances. 

For girls everywhere: we see you, we hear you and we vow to protect you. Without you our future will be bleak. 

A girl child is the most preyed upon, being attacked from all angles and given the least opportunities. 

Let us expand their possibilities in service of our global development. 

The work they do at such an early age lays the foundation for the continued unpaid work of women everywhere. It has to stop.

Sexual and gender based violence is the shadow pandemic within Covid -19 and our girls are the major victims. 

By bringing focus to the danger facing girls while performing everyday activities such as fetching water or attending school,  we aim to finally make a dent in these statistics around the globe. 

We should resolve to address this hardship by committing to potable water for all. Fetching water everyday at 4 am is hard enough but the added danger of sexual predators makes it a priority issue we must eradicate, if we are sincere about educating girls globally.

Let girls be girls!