My voice, our equal future

As we commemorate 25 years since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action – the global agenda for advancing the rights and empowerment of women and girls, everywhere - we are also invigorated by the launch of the multi-year, multi-partner campaign and movement for bold action on gender equality, Generation Equality. The needs and opportunities of adolescent girls and their solutions and actions are central to the movement.

In March, UNICEF launched A New Era for Girls: Taking stock of 25 years of progress, a joint report with Plan International and UN Women that reviews progress for girls, and lack of, over the last 25 years. Progress for adolescent girls specifically has not kept pace with the realities they face today, and COVID-19 has reinforced many of these gaps.

Let’s seize the opportunity to reimagine a better world inspired by adolescent girls – energized and recognized, counted and invested in. 

Theme: My voice, our equal future

International Day of the Girl (IDG) 2020- 11 October - is a key activation moment for all of us to raise up the diverse range of adolescent girls’ voices and actions for an equal future. Under the theme, My Voice, Our Equal Future, IDG 2020 will focus on reimagining a world shaped by adolescent girls’ voice, vision and solutions to:

• live free from gender-based violence, harmful practices, HIV/AIDS  
• learn new skills toward the futures they chose  
• lead as a generation of activists accelerating social change