International Day of the Girl Child 2025: Empowering Her For a Better Future

Originally published in 2020. Updated for 2025.

The theme for International Day of the Girl Child 2025 is “The girl I am, the change I lead: Girls on the frontlines of crisis.“ The girls in most areas of the world are still struggling to be heard, to be given equal importance, and to be paid equally for the job they do. Their voice is still not heard, and we need to make a change here.

Why Do We Celebrate International Day of the Girl Child?

Every year on October 11, the world celebrates the International Day of the Girl Child. This day is dedicated to recognising the rights of girls, raising awareness about the unique challenges they face, and promoting their empowerment.

Even today, in many parts of the world, including India, girls are still seen as a burden. They are denied equal opportunities in education, healthcare, and career choices. Celebrating this day reminds us to break stereotypes and create a future where every girl can dream freely.

Although I personally believe there won’t be much benefit in just celebrating one day a year. The value of this day should be followed all through the year, and girls should be given equal rights, no matter what part of the world we live in. The purpose of celebrating International Day of the Girl Child by UNICEF is to spread awareness.

Challenges Faced by Girls Today

Despite progress, millions of girls still face:

Child Marriage and Lack of Choice in Their Own Lives

Parents think the girl is a burden, and getting her married will relieve their burden. Many times, girls as young as 10 years are married to men double or triple their age, which is not justified and is a sin.

In India, child marriage is prohibited and punishable under The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, which defines a child as a male under 21 years of age or a female under 18. Yet many parents still get their children married in the name of social pressure or religious rules. A child as young as that can not yet make completely independent decisions, which are required in married life. It becomes a burden to them, without them knowing and understanding it. Their parents should be informed about the consequences of such marriages.

Limited Access to Education Due to Poverty or Gender Bias

In many areas where parents can send only one child to school due to financial issues, they generally send their son rather than their daughter. This is because they think a boy’s education is more important than a girl’s education, which actually is not true.

A girl can be as successful as a boy, and for that, she needs a proper education so that she can understand things better. God has gifted girls and boys with the same brain, and it is up to them how they use it. Gender has no role to play in it. Today, we have such good examples of females who have done wonders, like Kalpana Chawla, Indra Nooyi, Sudha Murthy, etc.

Healthcare Neglect Especially in Rural Areas

In the rural areas, the health of females is not given much importance. Even during their periods, they do not have clean sanitary napkins, and most of them use cloth, which is neither very hygienic nor comfortable. Spending money on a female’s health is regarded as unnecessary in some rural areas of society, which is not the right thing to do.

Stereotypes That Girls Should Only Manage the Home

Managing home chores should be an equal responsibility of both genders. Why should a girl be responsible for everything at home? Girls are more than capable of doing anything they dream of, whether it be becoming a doctor, a lawyer, an astronaut, a scientist, or anything else they want. No one should tell her what she needs to do, and she should have the full freedom to choose her own profession.

These challenges highlight why a dedicated day for girls is so crucial. It helps in spreading awareness.

Why Empowering Girls Matters

When a girl is empowered, she can:

• Complete her education and pursue a career
• Break cycles of poverty in her family and community
• Inspire future generations to aim higher
• Contribute equally in building a stronger, fairer society

Simply put: Educate a girl, and you educate an entire community. This is one of the goals of celebrating International Day of the Girl Child.

How Parents Can Support Their Daughters

Empowerment begins at home. As parents, we can:

Encourage Curiosity and Questions Rather Than Silencing Them

Many times, we have heard parents telling kids to be quiet and sit and not ask questions. It is more prevalent for girls in societies where they are not given importance and are looked down upon. The child loses confidence and thinks less of themselves, and this should definitely be avoided. Whether it is a boy or a girl, kids should be allowed to ask as many questions as they want to. In fact, they should be encouraged to ask questions.

Treat Sons and Daughters Equally

When it comes to giving opportunities or anything else, treat your sons and daughters equally. Don’t discriminate only based on gender. You never know, your daughter might achieve something better than your son in life, and also be there with you to support you, which your son might not. Give them equal education, equal love and care, good nutrition and everything else they deserve. Never be biased.

Celebrate Achievements, Whether Big or Small

Celebrate whatever they achieve, whether it is big or small. This gives them confidence to do things with more effort and determination. Be their support system.

Teach Financial Independence From an Early Age

Teach them about financial independence from an early age. Never tell them to get married to a rich guy. Tell them to only get married once they are independent and do not need to depend on anyone else for their own needs. Start financial literacy as early as the age of 7.

Lead by Example, Show Your Daughter that Women Can Achieve Anything.

Never underestimate another woman in front of your child, whether it is a boy or a girl. Give examples of successful women. If you are a father, praise the child’s mother, and tell the kids what she has achieved. Never underestimate her in front of your kids. If you are a mother, share your success stories with your children. Always tell your daughter, she is strong and can achieve anything she wants in life.

A Personal Note from DentistMaa

As a parent and as a woman, I believe every girl deserves to be valued, loved, and respected. Our daughters are not just someone’s wife or mother of tomorrow; they are leaders, changemakers, scientists, artists, and dreamers of today. They have their own dreams and vision, which we should support and help them follow and fulfil.

Let’s remind ourselves, this International Day of the Girl Child 2025, that change begins with us.

Conclusion

The International Day of the Girl Child is not just a date on the calendar; it’s a movement for equality.

Let’s raise our daughters with pride.
Let’s make education and respect their right.
Let’s show the world that a girl is never a burden, but a blessing and strength.

As parents, it is our responsibility to stop discriminating between a girl and a boy child, and instil in them the quality of equality. Big organisations like UNICEF are doing their best to make the girl child get the same position in society, ignoring any gender bias, but as parents, the moral duty is ours to teach our girls to raise their voices and be heard and teach our boys to accept the truth that they are not a superior gender but everyone should be treated equally. Days like International Day of the Girl Child are celebrated to spread awareness. This might make a difference.

Happy International Day of The Girl Child!