International Day of the Girl Child
The International Day of the Girl is an observance day declared by the United Nations that aims to bring into conversation the needs and issues faced by girls worldwide, while also ensuring their empowerment and fulfillment of their human rights. The celebration also recognizes the girl’s rights and increases awareness of gender inequality and other unique challenges girls face around the world. Women and young girls in the Philippines, and all over the world, face social, economic, and political barriers that hinder them from realizing their full potential. We believe that breaking these barriers starts from exposing the youth to the inequalities that women and girls face in all parts of the globe.
In pursuit of our goal to empower women and to achieve gender equality especially here in the Philippines, SPARK! (Samahan ng mga Pilipina para sa Reporma at Kaunlaran joins together with the Embassy of Sweden in Manila and The Teh Talk with the partnership of Project PEARLS and its scholars, in celebration of the International Day of the Girl Child (IDG 2018) on October 11, 2018. The event aims for a call to action for Filipina girls and for all the girls all over the world. In pursuit of the goal to empower women and achieve gender equality especially in the Philippines. The celebration highlighted the importance of social, economic, and political investment in the power of adolescent girls in breaking the intergenerational transmission of poverty, violence, exclusion, and discrimination and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Leading up the day of the event, a social media campaign was launched that features empowering publication materials for girls, using the IDG hashtags, #girlstakeover, #dayofthegirl and #girlhero. The event held at Gateway Cineplex, Cubao, Quezon City engaged 300 high school students and scholars and youth from all over Metro Manila to increase their awareness on girl’s and women’s rights and issues through featured talks on girl’s education and women empowerment. The opening remarks were given by the Ambassador of Sweden to the Philippines, Harald Fries. A special message came from Vice President Maria Leonor Gerona Robredo (VP Leni Robredo), whose advocacy under the Angat Buhay Program is to fight for the rights of each Filipino woman and empower women to develop and strengthen their abilities and overcome challenges they face in life. Girl’s rising films were also shown to demonstrate a fundamental truth; that everywhere in the world, what young girls want is the same as what most of us want. One of the Project PEARLS’ first scholars from its pilot location in Ulingan, Tondo also graced and shared her inspiring story. Ms. Lilibeth Sucion is a grade 12 student at Taal High School, who dreams of becoming a teacher someday.
The event also featured a forum from The Teh Talks panel of speakers who talked about the challenges and victories they have experienced to inspire and empower the young attendees; specifically in the field of health & nutrition, career, mental health, and other aspects of life. Then the program ended with a message from SPARKK! Founding Trustee, Victoria Garchitorena, and closing remarks from the country’s representative of United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Philippines, Lotta Sylwander.
