United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken has said child, early, and forced marriage continues to affect more than 1 in 5 girls globally; female genital mutilation and cutting continues despite laudatory efforts to curb its practice through legislation.
Blinken who made this disclosure in a statement released to celebrate the International Day of the Girl on 11th October stated that barriers to accessing education and health information and care continue persist for girl child.
He said the United States joins the global community in recognizing the International Day of the Girl and reaffirms commitment to advancing the rights and empowerment of girls and young women in all their diversity.
According to him, “Around the world, girls disproportionately experience the negative impacts of climate- related disasters; conflicts and humanitarian crises; and have lost years of education due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The rise of technology-facilitated gender-based violence has had dire consequences for their mental health and for their willingness to engage in public spaces.
“Child, early, and forced marriage continues to affect 1 in 5 girls globally; female genital mutilation and cutting continues despite laudatory efforts to curb its practice through legislation; and barriers to accessing education and health information and care persist”.
The Secretaey announced that on this day the Department of State, in collaboration with the U.S. Agency for International Development, is proud to launch the Women’s and Girls’ Civic and Political Participation Strategy.
Blinken said this strategy details the United States govt commitments to address the barriers to participation faced by adolescent girls in particular and to increase their access to civic education and leadership development opportunities.
He noted that as girls continue to face down these barriers to create positive change across the globe, the United States stands firm to elevate the voices and human rights of all girls, invest in future that promotes their rights, leadership, and well-being.