11th October is celebrated annually as the International Day of the Girl Child, as set out by the UN. It is meant to highlight and address woes, needs and challenges that the girl child faces during her day today activities.
As the world commemorates this day many girls go through challenges, some they report and sometimes they are pressured to maintain silence, in the latter case, girls have been made to suffer without putting across their grievances due to fear and being threatened by the assailant, parents or guardians.
Some of the challenges that girls go through include; rape, forced marriages, female genital mutilation among others.
In ancient days women were respected though there were things that a woman could not do for instance, making a decision in any gathering be it a family meeting or even in church. Women were never given a chance to rule or be leaders. As days go by women globally have come up with movements that are helping advocate for the girl child’s rights, including equal pay, education and doing away with gender- based violence, education inequality among others.
This is proving beneficial since many girls are going to school, completing their studies, pursuing their career goals, marrying at the required age or marrying at their own liberty hence reducing and curbing early/ forced marriages.
When a girl is raped she might report to her parents or may be gripped with fear. In a certain setting, she may think she’ll be beaten by the parent or stigmatized b society. She can also fail to report due to the threats she might receive from the attacker.
There are incidents where a girl is raped and murdered such cases are reported by parents or women who fight for girls’ rights. The assailant may be taken to court when sufficient evidence is presented and the culprit might be sentenced. One may also be freed. So here you ask yourself, where will the girl child get her rights?
A parent may take an initiative of reporting to authorized offices and seek for help and demand for an action to be taken on the assailant. Some parents too may decide to look for the assailant and agree on how they can handle the situation even without reporting. This is where parents are given kick- back s to the expense of their child. So here the child will never find peace hence her rights will be infringed.
There are cases where fathers rape and impregnate their own children. In fact this era is where such cases are prevalent. One wonders how such can be handled. This should also be treated as other cases where a stranger, relative rapes a girl child.
As at now the world has rightly evolved when it comes to education matters. No education path is entitled to the boy since everyone is jostling for equal standards and this is commendable.
This is as a result of concerted efforts by women in leadership, women who fight for the girl child rights in the society. Education has played a major role since when the girl is educated, she impacts the society greatly.
In 1995 a number of women and men from 200 countries around the world arrived in Beijing, China for the World Conference on Women that was meant to recognize the rights of women and girls. The conference ended by the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action the most comprehensive policy agenda for the empowerment of women.
Therefore, this year’s celebration is marked to celebrate the achievements of a girl child since the adoption of Beijing Conference.
Since then women have been seen around the globe vying for political seats competing with their male counter parts, though they never find it easy to campaign since they are branded and called names by their opponents who are male. Sentiments like how can you vote for a woman who is not married? A woman who has divorced her husband? Do it at your own risk because as she ascends to power all your husbands will be at risk of being snatched.
With this entire name calling women have stood up and seen themselves ascend to power. Like in Kenya during 2017 general election we had 3 women who vied for gubernatorial seats and won beating their male counterparts that is; Kirinyaga County Governor Ann Waiguru, Kitui County Charity Ngilu and Bomet County the late Joyce Laboso. The number of female Member of Parliament, Senators and MCA’s too increased. This is an achievement on women since the Beijing adoption in 1995.
Worldwide we have had women country leaders’ i.e. Ellen Johnson Sir Leaf who served as the 24th President of Liberia from 2006 to 2018. She was the first elected female head of state in Africa. Theresa May served as a Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2016-2019.
Hillary Clinton contested for the presidential seat in the USA in 2016 and besides this she was the 67th United States secretary of state from 2009 -2013. She was the first woman to be nominated to vie for the presidency by a major political party.
Therefore, as the world celebrates the girl child day let all people put efforts together to ensure that a girl child is secure and her rights are never infringed.
I therefore, celebrate Hellen Onsando Obiri the 2017 5000 metres World Champion in London and defended the title in 2019 in Doha Qatar. “The best protection any woman can have …is courage.” Elizabeth Cady Stanton