International Day of the Girl Child (IDGC) 2022 has arrived! AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) will hold “Our Rights, Our Future”-themed events worldwide that will educate and empower girls to succeed by taking control of their health!
At least 129 million girls worldwide are not attending school, an issue exacerbated by inadequate access to menstrual hygiene products and facilities. COVID-19 lockdowns also caused higher rates of gender-based violence, while teenage pregnancies skyrocketed during the pandemic. In sub-Saharan Africa, six in seven new HIV infections among adolescents aged 15–19 years are among girls, and girls and young women aged 15–24 years are twice as likely to be living with HIV than young men.
“On the International Day of the Girl Child, we stand with girls worldwide by holding ‘Our Rights, Our Future’ events. We also urge governments and stakeholders to implement policies and programs that even the playing field for young women and girls by ensuring equal access to quality health care, education, and economic opportunities,” said Loretta Wong, Deputy Chief of Global Advocacy and Policy for AHF. “Girls and young women are disproportionately affected by HIV and many other issues surrounding public health, which is why AHF is committed to working harder than ever to help ensure they have every opportunity to thrive with the help of programs like Girls Act. IDGC 2022 is the perfect commemoration to give them the empowerment tools they need to take charge of their health and meet their full potential!”
AHF launched the successful Girls Act program in Africa in 2016, which has expanded to 33 countries across Africa, Latin America, Asia and Europe. Learn more about the program by watching a touching documentary that follows several Girls Act members and shows how they thrive and bravely win their battles against HIV.
IDGC is observed annually on October 11 to promote girls’ rights and bring awareness to the challenges they face. This IDGC, AHF country teams will hold “Our Rights, Our Future” events around the world to bring girls together through fun, educational and empowering sessions. Advocates will address menstrual health management, age-appropriate comprehensive sexual education, staying in school, avoiding unplanned pregnancy, building self-confidence, and many other vital issues for girls and their health.
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