Yesterday was International Day of the Girl, a holiday created five years by the United Nations. Its mission is to spur enthusiasm worldwide to improve girls’ lives.
It’s no secret that focusing on gender equality and women’s empowerment is key to addressing poverty. This is why The Life You Can Save recommends many charities that do fantastic work in this area. And it’s why for our team—and hopefully the world—we commemorate this awareness day with both a seriousness and optimism, along with a reminder that we should fight these inequalities every single day.
We’ve rounded up some of the most poignant pieces on the web that celebrate girls around the world, which remind us of their strength, along with the stark barriers they face everyday.
Olympians Find Fetching Water in Rural Uganda Far from Child’s Play [In Pictures]
This photo essay in The Guardian is a good reminder of the incredible strength girls in the developing world need to survive, along with the daily challenges they must endure.
Photo: Marcus Perkins/Tearfund
Despite the Odds, Syrian Activist Keeps Basement Schools Running in Aleppo
During the Syrian civil war, most children have been forced out of school. Here is a powerful story in NPR about Marcell Shehwaro, a 32-year-old Syrian activist, who is trying to change that.
Photo: Neil Hall, Reuters
Emma Watson Calls For An End to Child Marriage
Every year, 15 million girls around the world are married before they are 18 years old. According to the BBC and The Christian Science Monitor, “Child marriage starts a cycle of disadvantage that denies girls the most basic rights to learn, develop and be children.”
Photo: UN Women
How will you celebrate International Day of the Girl? How will you extend these efforts beyond one single day, and help fight for gender equality 365 days of the year? Consider supporting our recommended charities that do just that. And share this roundup, and tell us what you think in the comments!