Equality and Safety for Girls: A Call to End Violence: On this International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director of Education Cannot Wait, emphasizes the urgent need to address issues such as forced child marriage and the denial of human rights to girls and women worldwide. The focus is on investing in education as a crucial step toward fostering the unbreakable spirit of women and girls.
Equality and Safety for Girls – UN’s 16 Days of Activism
Joining the UN’s 16 Days of Activism campaign, Education Cannot Wait urges leaders to take concrete actions to prioritize the human rights of girls and women, with a special emphasis on their right to 12 years of safe, quality education. The theme for this year, ‘Invest to Prevent Violence against Women and Girls,’ underscores the importance of investing in safe schools and protective learning environments.
Empowering Future Women Leaders
Investing in girls’ education not only aligns with global commitments but also contributes to achieving Sustainable Development Goals. By providing holistic, quality education that empowers girls to assert their rights, we can create a generation of confident and empowered future women leaders.
Ending Child Marriage in Education
Highlighting the urgency, Education Cannot Wait stresses the alarming statistic that every minute, 22 girls are forced into child marriage. The call to action is clear: invest fully in girls‘ education to transform them from potential child brides into scholars with a brighter future.
Confronting Intimate Partner Violence
Drawing attention to the global prevalence of physical and sexual violence against women, Education Cannot Wait emphasizes the need to act decisively. Approximately 736 million women, nearly one in three, have experienced intimate partner violence. The call is loud and clear: no woman or girl should endure any violation of their dignity, rights, freedoms, or person.
Humanitarian Ceasefire and Global Responsibilities
Beyond education, Education Cannot Wait calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, where the humanitarian system is on the brink of collapse. The plea extends to all regions facing armed conflicts and humanitarian crises, stressing the importance of collective action to protect the lives of millions, especially girls and women. Voices from Conflict Zones Amidst accounts from conflict zones, including an 11-year-old girl in Gaza, Education Cannot Wait underscores the importance of acknowledging the realities faced by girls in regions of conflict. From Afghanistan to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the call is clear: the world cannot turn a blind eye to the denial of human rights and violence against girls.
In conclusion, Education Cannot Wait emphasizes the collective responsibility to choose a path of empowerment and peace. The choices made as a human family will define our progress as a species. Investing in education is not just a commitment to academic learning; it is an investment in the courage, resilience, brilliance, strength, and fortitude of girls and women worldwide.