World fails girls as 2030 SDGs deadline “creeps closer” – UN Secretary-General

By Deborah Asantewaah SARFO

The Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), António Guterres, has lamented the world’s persistent failure to help girls realise their potential, citing some obstacles that hinder their development as evidence of how the world fails them.

He maintained that despite the unlimited potential of the world’s more than 1.1 billion girls, it continues to fail girls as it creeps closer to the 2030 deadline for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Some challenges identified by the secretary include an increase in the 70 percent of new adolescent HIV infections, widespread of child marriage and war on the fundamental rights of women and girls, among others.

“Girls account for more than 70 percent of new adolescent HIV infections. They are almost twice as likely as boys to miss out on education or training. And child marriage remains widespread, with approximately one in five girls globally married before the age of 18,” he said.

According to him, these challenges are “endangering their lives, restricting their choices and limiting girls’ futures”

Mr. Guterres noted this in a statement to commemorate the 2024 International Day of the Girl-Child under the theme ‘Girls’ Vision for the Future’. It conveys the need for urgent action and persistent hope, driven by the power of girls’ voices and vision for the future.

In changing the narrative, he charged all world leaders and key stakeholders of institutions across the globe to step up, offer assistance and create the right environment for girls to transform their vision into action.

“The courage, hope and determination of girls are a force to be reckoned with. It is time for the world to step up and help transform their vision and aspirations into reality”, he said.

He added that girls are working toward making their vision a reality; and have asked national leaders to ensure that the “voices of girls are heard, provide them with a seat around the table through education and the requisite resources and opportunities they need to participate and lead.

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