The President of the Republic of Liberia, H. E.  George Manneh Weah has by Proclamation declared Thursday, October 11, 2018 as “International Day of The Girl Child” and is to be celebrated throughout Liberia as a Working Holiday.

The Proclamation calls on national and International Organizations including UNICEF, Plan Liberia as well as Ministries and Agencies of government concerned to join the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection in executing appropriate programs befitting the occasion.

The Proclamation is in consonance with the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 66/170 which was adopted December 19, 2011 declaring October 11 of each year as the “International Day of the Girl Child”.

According to a Foreign Ministry release, this year’s International Day of the Girl Child will be celebrated under the Global theme: “With Her: A Skilled Girl Force” while the event will be nationally observed under the Theme: “Prepared Girls Transformed Workforce”

The observance is intended to recognize the importance of investing in Adolescent Girls’ empowerment.

Furthermore, the celebration is in recognition of girls’ rights; the unique challenges they face around the world and in acknowledgment of the importance of empowerment and investment in girls which, the Proclamation noted, are critical for the eradication of poverty and breaking the circle of discrimination and violence.

The global community continues to make significant progress in improving the livelihood of girls through quality elementary, secondary and higher education, avoiding child marriage, receiving information and services related to puberty and productive health, as well as admonishing them to be cautious about unwanted pregnancy, sexually transmitted disease and gender base violence, the Proclamations affirms.