Empowering Adolescent Girls: Ending the Cycle of Violence

Tue, Oct 7, 2014

by Nicola Williams

President of Soroptimist International of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SISVG)

Since 2012 the United Nations marks the 11th day of October as the “International Day of the Girl Child”. The day promotes girls’ human rights, highlights gender inequalities that remain between boys and girls and addresses the various forms of discrimination and abuse suffered by girls around the world.{{more}}

This year’s theme “Empowering Adolescent Girls: Ending the Cycle of Violence” is in recognition of the importance of investing and empowering adolescent girls and of preventing and eliminating the various forms of violence adolescent girls face.

The day supports more opportunity for girls and increases awareness of inequality faced by girls worldwide based upon their gender. This inequality includes areas such as access to education, nutrition, legal rights, medical care and protection from discrimination.

In St. Vincent and the Grenadines, we are fortunate that there is no discrimination between girls and boys. Percentages show year after year that girls excel academically. However, it is a sad fact that in St. Vincent and the Grenadines violence against women and girls – incest, rape and pregnancy are all too prevalent even though education can play a role in preventing violence against women and girls.

Today, one in three women worldwide are subjected to violence and more than half of sexual assaults are committed against girls under the age of sixteen.

How do we end this cycle of violence? This can be done by all women getting involved – business women, mothers and grandmothers. If WE do not work to improve the lives of girls, who will? Today and every day UN women will stand up for the rights of women and girls and equality and dignity for all.

Help support Soroptimist International of St Vincent and the Grenadines in our drive to protect our girl children and end this cycle of violence.