Since 2012, we mark October 11 as the International Day of the Girl (IDG), an opportunity to take stock on progress towards the fulfilment of girls’ rights and the challenges many of them are still facing around the world. This year, we are celebrating achievements by, with and for girls since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action 25 years ago under the theme GirlForce: Unscripted and Unstoppable.

Join this occasion by taking two actions highlighting the importance of parliamentarians as role models and lawmakers in advancing girls’ rights:

1. Ask a parliamentary question during the month of October to learn how the relevant Ministers [Gender Equality/Youth/Health/Education] are working towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 on Achieve Gender Equality and Empower All Women and Girls by 2030. You can use the sample questions below and adjust as you see appropriate for your country:

   Honorable Minister:

   On the occasion of the International Day of the Girl, celebrated today October 11, I am respectfully writing to inquire about programs under your portfolio that seek to protect the rights of girls and promote their equal access in line with United Nations SDG 5. In particular, Honorable Minister, I would appreciate your information on the following:

   • What programs are in place to protect girls from violence both inside and outside their homes?

   • How does your Ministry liaise with the Police Department (or the appropriate agency) to enforce the law against child, early and forced marriage?

   • What programs/policies exist to protect girls who are married or in an informal union?

   • What actions is your Ministry taking to ensure pregnant girls and girls who are mothers continue going to school?

   • What type of programs does your Ministry implement to guarantee girls have free and equal access to health services, including sexual and reproductive health services?

   Please share your question (s) with PGA by forwarding your email and the Minister’s response to monica.adame@pgaction.org .

2. There is still time to submit a picture with your daughter, niece, granddaughter or a young girl who is special to you, accompanied by a reflection on what “Raising an unscripted and unstoppable girl means (...)” Check and share with colleagues our #MPs4GirlsRights Campaign for #IDG2019 in PGA’s social media channels and website. We have been posting pictures all week of our members with happy and spirited girls using the hashtag #MPs4GirlsRights.

   Please send your story and image to sofia.cossar@pgaction.org . If the file is too large to send by email, please use WeTransfer.

   In the email, please also indicate any social media accounts that you would like tagged in the distribution.

   **Please note that by sending us your picture, you and the girl (s) consent to its distribution on PGA’s websites and social media accounts.

Facts:*

• Child marriage is any formal marriage or informal union where one or both parties are under 18 years of age. Each year, 12 million girls are married before they reach 18. That is 23 girls every minute. Nearly 1 every second.

• Child marriage happens across countries, cultures and religions.

• Child marriage is fueled by gender inequality, poverty, traditions and insecurity.

• Child marriage violates girls’ rights to health, education and opportunity. It traps girls in a cycle of violence and poverty.

• Child marriage directly hinders the achievement of at least six of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): No Poverty, Zero Hunger, Good Health & Well-being, Quality Education, Gender Equality, Decent Work & Economic Growth, Reduced Inequalities and Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions.

*Source: Girls Not Brides

PGA’s Global Parliamentary Campaign to End Child, Early and Forced Marriage (CEFM) seeks to empower parliamentarians to become leaders in the defense and promotion of the human rights of girls and women by:

• Creating an enabling legal and policy framework that asserts the primacy of national laws over customary and religious laws; establishes 18 as the minimum legal age for marriage, uniformly for both boys and girls, with no exceptions; strengthens civil registration (births and marriages), health and education systems; and guarantees the enjoyment of sexual and reproductive health and rights, property rights, and access to justice for all girls and women; and

• Taking concrete action to address CEFM as a human rights violation and a development issue; monitor the implementation of SDG 5 target 5.3 on gender equality and empowerment of girls & women; and allocate resources to new and existing policies and laws that address CEFM, including laws and programs to protect married girls, young mothers and girls in informal unions.

By October 2019, PGA members have contributed to reforms in Civil and Family Codes in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Indonesia, Malawi and Trinidad & Tobago raising the minimum age of marriage for boys and girls to 18 and repealing the exceptions that allowed marriage under this age, reaffirming their commitment to ending child marriage.

All views expressed herein are the personal opinions of members of the Secretariat and are not endorsements by PGA. Any and all affiliations with authors/publishers will be disclosed.

• Mira que te Miro by Catholics for Choice (Latin America and the Caribbean), Plan International, ILGALAC, CLADEM, IPPF Western Hemisphere, ICW Latina, among several other national NGOs (launched September 2019; available in English and Spanish)

  “This is a valuable advocacy tool for Latin American and Caribbean policy-makers concerned about the rights for adolescent girls in their countries. It provides regional and national overviews on four main themes in line with the Montevideo Consensus on Population and Development: human rights and secularism, comprehensive sexuality education, sexual and reproductive health, and accountability. Check out how your country fares in a comparative analysis!”

   – Mónica, Director, Gender, Equality and Inclusion

• Greta Thunberg inspires youth activists in fight against child marriage (The Jakarta Post, 26 September 2019)

  “She’s crossed oceans, catalyzed a global movement to prioritize climate change, and now Greta Thunberg is inspiring youth activists in the fight against child marriage.”

  – Rebecca, Director, International Law & Human Rights

• A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead Books, 2007)

  “A compelling reminder that marriage can wait, education cannot.”

  - Ioana, Intern, Gender, Equality and Inclusion