Words by Fatima Barrie
Girls worldwide channel their inner Beyonce.
International Day of the Girl, a global revolution that recognizes and fights for justice and rights of young girls, was celebrated on October 11. The United Nations declared International Day of the Girl in 2011, and the cause has continued to push forth efforts that positively impact the youth. This year, the movement focuses on empowering girls across the globe before, during, and after crises. UN Women shares the shocking reality of violence that occurs to girls daily, “Every 10 minutes, somewhere in the world, an adolescent girl dies as a result of violence. In humanitarian emergencies, gender-based violence often increases, subjecting girls to sexual and physical violence, child marriage, exploitation and trafficking.”
In honor of the holiday, Beyoncé partnered with Chime for Change and The Global Goals in a video to spread awareness using the hashtag #FreedomForGirls and encourage the world to take action. Directed by MJ Delaney, the video shows girls all around the world lip-syncing and dancing to Beyonce’s hit Lemonade song, “Freedom.” The clip shares shocking statistics, below are a few:
- “71% of human trafficking victims are female.”
- “One in four girls gets married as a child.”
- “63 million girls have undergone female genital mutilation.”
- “130 million girls are out of school.”
Watch the Day of the Girl “Freedom” video and learn how you can help end the obstacles young girls face across the globe and achieve the Global Goals by 2030.
