If you have daughters - or if you're female - you can probably get behind the idea of the UN's International Day of the Girl tomorrow, October 11th. GirlUp is on a mission to give girls in the US the tools to become global leaders by channeling their energy into programs to help girls struggling around the world.
For example, in Guatemala, girls make up the majority of the unschooled population. Instead, they spend time doing domestic chores and caring for younger siblings, and are more likely to be illiterate and experience child marriage and unplanned pregnancy. Many girls are victims of human trafficking, and because girls are low priority - especially rural indigenous girls - crimes are never solved.
In Malawi, child marriage is also a problem, which contributes to a high rate of adolescent pregnancies. Many families marry off girls in the hopes of giving them a better life, or as a payment for borrowed debt. Malawi is 9th in terms of HIV infection, with girls being four times more likely to be infected as boys. Girl Up is currently running a campaign to stop early marriages and to build youth-friendly health clinics to make sure girls receive appropriate health information.
If these causes speak to you, find out how you can Get Involved.
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