11th October is the International Day of the Girl Child
We feel proud when a daughter is born in our family as she brings good luck and prosperity. But the reality is different in many places as girl children become victims and rights violations from different perspectives including education. We know that women and girls represent half of the world’s population and, therefore, also half of its potential. Unfortunately, there is still a long way to go to achieve full equality of rights and opportunities between men and women.
The global data says that 133 million girls are out of school today and adolescent girls aged 15-19 are more likely to not be in education, employment or training than their male peers. Almost 4 in 10 adolescent girls and young women do not finish upper secondary school and nearly 1 in 4 ever-married or partnered adolescent girls aged 15-19 have experienced intimate partner violence in their lifetimes.
More than one third of adolescent girls and boys aged 15-19 consider a husband to be justified in hitting his wife under certain circumstances. The percentage of underweight adolescent girls aged 10-19 has only declined slightly in the last three decades, from 10 per cent to 8 per cent.
Celebrated every year on 11 October, International Day of the Girl is a global moment to celebrate girls everywhere, amplifying their voices, actions and leadership. On December 19, 2011, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 66/170 to declare October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child, to recognize girls’ rights and the unique challenges girls face around the world.
This year’s theme is ‘End child marriage and invest in girls’ rights’ and was developed through consultations with girls, girls’ organizations and girl-led networks as well as civil society organizations and United Nations partners. Each year, more than 12 million girls – roughly one every three seconds – are married before reaching adulthood, with the highest prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa (31 per cent). In India, we are yet to be free from child marriages though many positive transformations are taking place all over the country.
António Guterres, the Secretary General of the UN in his messages on the occasion said that “it’s time to end child marriage once and for all. Together, let us defend the right of all girls to a childhood, and ensure every daughter, every sister, grows up free to shape her own future.”
There is no doubt that adolescent girls have the right to a safe, educated, and healthy life, not only during these critical formative years, but also as they mature into women. The good news is that girls are breaking boundaries and barriers posed by stereotypes and exclusion, including those directed at children with disabilities and those living in marginalized communities. Young women have become innovators, entrepreneurs, innovators and initiators of global movements and all these shows that more investment in girls means investment towards sustainability.
According to UNICEF’s 2026 estimates, an estimated one in five girls are married before age 18 across the world, representing approximately 650 million women and girls alive today who were married in childhood. There are many initiatives taken by the government and other organizations in India. Some of the programme which are ensuring the rights of girl child in India includes Mission Shakti , Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV), UDAAN, Nurturing Aspirations through Vocational Training for Young Adolescent Girls (NAVYA), Vigyan Jyoti Scheme, Scholarships for Girl Child, etc.
The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 replaced the earlier Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929 (Sarda Act). The Act provides the legal backbone to empower girls, ensuring their right to education and health, countering the severe risks of early marriage like interrupted schooling, health complications, and limited opportunities. Building on the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, the Government of India launched the Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat (Child Marriage-Free India) campaign in November 2024, under the Ministry of Women and Child Development. As of January 2026, a total of 2,153 child marriages have been prevented, and 60,262 Child Marriage Prohibition Officers have been appointed across the country.
Like International of the Girl Child we observe National Girl Child Day in India on 24 January and it serves as a reminder of the importance of empowering girls and fostering an environment of equality and opportunity. Together we can end child marriage in our society and ensure rights of the girl child. Let us all take up the challenge to ensure that every girl child gets quality education and we can make our country free from child marriages and contribute towards Viksit Bharat.
(With direct inputs from UN/PIB publications and feedback may be sent to bkranjan@gmail.com)
Ranjan K Baruah
Guwahati