International Day of the Girl Child was celebrated in Pakistan with Orphan Care Organization as its base.
International Day of the Girl Child was established by the UN in 2012 as a way to highlight issues around gender equality which are faced by girls on a daily basis all over the world.
On October 12th, Orphan Care Organization (partner organization to Child Rights Eurasia based out of Pakistan) marked its celebration of the day with an all day conference whereby 60 girls aged 12-17 from the organization as well as from different schools in the area were in attendance.
During the celebration, key speakers including a local minister focused on the rights on minority populations spoke about matters such as child domestic labor, child marriage and child sexual abuse. Female community leaders, for example a police officer and a professional athlete, shared challenges that they have faced as well as things that they have achieved throughout their careers lending to the motivational theme of the day - girl empowerment.