Since 2012, we mark October 11 as the International Day of the Girl (IDG), an opportunity to take stock on progress towards the fulfillment of girls’ rights and the challenges many of them are still facing around the world. In 2019, we celebrated 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.

PGA members around the world joined this occasion by taking two actions.

#MPs4GirlsRights Social Media Campaign

We asked our members: “What does it mean to raise an unscripted and unstoppable girl?”. Their heart-warming reflections, alongside pictures featuring young girls they hold dear, were published as part of a #MPs4GirlsRights social media campaign.

These were their contributions:

Raising an unscripted and unstoppable girl means having meaningful and constant engagements about what they are passionate about and supporting them in these passions. Our girls and young women need to know that they are loved, valued and that they are never alone; they are surrounded by a succession of unscripted and unstoppable women and we will never rest in our pursuit of living our lives as we choose. We decide what happens to our bodies. We decide what pursuits to engage in. That legacy and aspiration of choice must continue for all our girls.

Louisa Wall, Member of Parliament of New Zealand, and her niece, Giada.

Raising an unscripted and unstoppable girl means that they neither are underestimated as girls nor ignored as women. Count on all the wonderful girls, always and everywhere! 

Petra Bayr, Member of the National Council of Austria and PGA Treasurer, and her goddaughter, Marie.

My grand-daughter Kiarni is a highly intelligent young woman who shows much compassion to others, particularly, those with a disability.

Chris Hayes, Member of the Parliament of Australia, and his granddaughter, Kiarni.

Parents have the responsibility to participate in the positive upbringing of our daughters, on equal terms, to motivate them to develop their life skills, abilities, and attitudes.

Dip. Ito Bisono, Member of the Chamber of Deputies of the Dominican Republic and Chairman of PGA’s International Council, and his daughter, Daniela.

Raising an unscripted and unstoppable girl is the most joyful and rewarding exercise in one's life knowing fully well that she is the ultimate transformer of the world.

Hon. Suwaibou Touray, Member of the National Assembly of The Gambia, and his daughter.

Raising an unscripted and unstoppable girl means holding out your hand when she takes tentative steps and being able to stand back and applaud when she stands tall on her own two feet.

Julie Ward, Member of the European Parliament (United Kingdom), and her daughter, Hannah.

Raising an unscripted and unstoppable girl means giving her the education and support she needs to thrive. An informed and confident girl has the power to make her own choices and stand for what she believes.

Margareta Cederfelt, Member of the Riksdag of Sweden and PGA President, on raising her daughter.

Raising an unscripted and unstoppable girl has been shrouded in fear for far too long. These tiny shoulders have carried the burden of honour and shame for centuries. This fear has led agencies to carefully prescribe sidekick roles to women when we know they are nothing short of superhero material. I say we break these shackles and let girls speak their mind and dream big. My granddaughter Ciel is one unstoppable girl. At 5 she has ambitions and capabilities to be proud of. It is a pleasure watching her grow.

Hon. Naveed Qamar, Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan and member of the PGA’s Executive Committee, and his granddaughter, Ciel.

Raising an unscripted and unstoppable girl means spending time, loving them and giving them the best educational tools to face the globalized world she will face.

Dra. Johana Bermudez, Member of the National Congress of Honduras, on raising her daughter.

To raise an unscripted and unstoppable girl means to invest in a better world. As I always say, for the well-being of humanity, let the kids grow.

Hon. Levy Nazaré, Member of the National Assembly of  São Tomé and Príncipe, and his daughters.

Parliamentary Question

Petra Bayr, Member of the National Council of Austria and PGA Treasurer, raised a parliamentary question to learn how the relevant Ministers in her country are working towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 on Achieving Gender Equality and Empower All Women and Girls by 2030.

Thank you to all the parliamentarians who took a firm stand in favor of the human rights of girls and women!

Are you interested in learning about PGA’s Campaign to End Child, Early and Forced Marriage?

Please contact:

Mónica Adame
Director of Gender, Equality and Inclusion Program

Tel: +1-646-762-7295