International Day of the Girl 2020
11 October has been a key global moment to celebrate the power of girls and highlight the barriers they face since the United Nations adopted it as the International Day of the Girl in December 2011.
Each October, thousands of girls all over the world have taken over positions of power including those of Presidents, Ambassadors, CEOs and Chief Editors as part of a global movement in support of gender equality.
Given the new normal created by COVID-19 physical takeovers of the Diplomatic Missions, Corporates and Media is difficult. On International Day of the Girl (IDG) 2020, Plan India girls will go digital through Social Media Takeovers remotely taking over 18 Diplomatic Missions, 2 Corporates, and Media and raising one unified voice for girls’ rights and equality.
Hailing from 9 Indian states―Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Jharkhand, Odisha, Rajasthan, Telangana, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh―Girl Changemakers in the run-up to the IDG interacted with the Diplomatic Missions, Corporates, and Media and curated content for the social media on issues that matter to them and brought their keen insight and perspectives to the table. With their counterparts – Ambassadors/High Commissioners/Deputy Chiefs of Mission, and CEOs – they engaged in discussions digitally on gender and power and reflected on the need for greater of representation of girls and young women in the global development agenda.
Meet some of the girl changemakers leading the social media takeovers
Joining forces for girls’ rights
The Social Media Takeovers include platforms of Delegation of the European Union to India, Embassy of Argentina, Australian High Commission, Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium, High Commission of Canada in India, Embassy of the Czech Republic, Royal Danish Embassy, Embassy of Finland, Embassy of France, Embassy of Israel, Embassy of Ireland, Embassy of Latvia, Embassy of Lithuania, Embassy of Mexico, Embassy of Netherlands, Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia, Embassy of Sweden and the Embassy of Switzerland; the content platform The Better India – Hindi and English; and the corporates AXA-XL, and H&M (Hennes & Mauritz Retail Private Limited) reaching over 100,000 people.
Harnessing the power of digital, Plan India is also engaging three well-known sports influencers – Tashi and Nungshi Malik (the twin sisters who have triumphed Seven Summits and awarded the Nari Shakti Puraskar by Government of India), Tania Sachdev (chess player, who holds the FIDE titles of International Master and Woman Grandmaster) and Ria Rajeshwari Kumari (Trap shooting champion). The influencers will interact with the girl changemakers sharing their stories and how they overcame the odds to make it to the top.
A look at all the social media action on IDG 2020
About the International Day of the Girl
International Day of the Girl (IDG), October 11, is an UN-declared international observance day to support greater opportunities for girls and awareness of gender discrimination they endure worldwide. In 2011, Plan led the global efforts to build a coalition of support behind the Day of the Girl, securing support from the Canadian government which took our call all the way to the United Nations.
Since then, we have given significant importance to International Day of the Girl by engaging girls in activities that showcase their sheer might, potential and motivation to create a better world. When girls get equal opportunities and equal chances, they can transform their lives and those of their communities too. By occupying spaces and places where they are rarely seen or heard, girls and young women inspire and drive action to ensure all girls can learn, lead, decide and thrive.
Throwback to the International Day of the Girl 2019
#FreeToBeOnline: State of the World’s Girls report
To advocate and push for girls’ rights to Freedom Online, Plan globally will be releasing State of the World’s Girls (SOTWG) report on October 4, 2020. The report aims at understanding and uncovering girls’ and young women’s perspectives and experiences on social media platforms online.
Recommendations from the report:
Governments and society as a whole need to monitor this abuse rigorously and social media companies must use their technological skills and financial resources to put freedom online for girls and young women at the heart of their agenda.
Social media companies should create effective and accessible reporting mechanisms that target gender-based violence and collect disaggregated data that acknowledge girls’ intersecting identities and tracks the scale and size of the problem. Governments should ensure their policies on internet access are inclusive and actively ensure gender equality in accessing online spaces and enact laws addressing violence against women and girls, holding social media platforms and other third-party internet platforms to account.
Download and read the complete State of the World’s Girls (SOTWG) report here.
Get Involved
Girls have written an open letter to Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter, calling on them to create stronger and more effective reporting mechanisms that really work for girls and hold perpetrators to account. Show your support and sign the open letter.