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A world where...
What do you wanna be when you grow up, baby girl?’ I asked my four-year-old daughter.
‘A pirate fairy,’ she replied. She dances around the room and chats away, repeating the same thing over and over just for fun. She’s free and unrestrained without a care in the world. Not one single care. I hope that as she grows, she will know she can be anything, do anything that she wants. I have hopes and dreams for her, but my greatest hope is that my daughter would fulfil her own dreams, hopes and desires.
Can you imagine a world where every single girl born has the opportunity to fulfil her own dreams, hopes and desires? Although we are far from it, I believe it’s possible.
Imagine a world where the sky is the limit and her choice is never limited. A world where any girl can become a nurse, doctor, midwife, scientist, teacher, researcher, mechanic, lawyer, flight attendant, prime minister, pilot, sales person, pastor, CEO, sound technician, firefighter, astronaut … or pirate fairy.
Imagine a world where gender inequality doesn’t exist and where every girl child, regardless of their ethnicity, their culture, their religion or the situation they are born into is able to thrive, is wanted and is valued for the unique strengths and perspectives she brings to the world.
Imagine a world where unequal education rights, unfair pay gaps, restricted land ownership, child brides, female genital mutilation, breast ironing, acid attacks, dowry burnings, and the infanticide of baby girls are horrific crimes of the past that we look back on and think, ‘How did we let that go on for so long?’
October 11 is the International Day of the Girl Child, a day established by the United Nations to recognise girls’ rights and the unique situations they face around the world.
This year’s theme is ‘The Power of the Adolescent Girl’. The United Nations acknowledges that while much progress has been made during the past 15 years to improve the lives of girls during early childhood (access to primary education, receiving essential vaccinations and improved health outcomes), there is much work to be done once they reach adolescence.
The UN says, ‘There has been insufficient investment in addressing the challenges girls face when they enter the second decade of their lives. This includes obtaining quality secondary and higher education, avoiding child marriage, receiving information and services related to puberty and reproductive health, and protecting themselves against unwanted pregnancy, sexually transmitted disease and gender-based violence.’
So, can you imagine a world where every single adolescent girl gets to live life to the full—safe, educated and healthy as they develop into women? A world where these girls know they can and are empowered to change the world around them. The UN says, ‘An investment in realising the power of adolescent girls upholds their rights today and promises a more equitable and prosperous future, one in which half of humanity is an equal partner in solving the problems of climate change, political conflict, economic growth, disease prevention, and global sustainability.’
At the moment, not every girl in the world is born with the same opportunities. On this international day of the girl, let’s be intentional about encouraging the girls in our lives about their potential and worth. Let’s encourage them to dream of their own ‘world where …’.
And let’s make a concentrated effort to work together and ensure that our daughters and granddaughters grow up in a world where every girl knows her dreams and desires are possible!
by Sammy Millar (c) 'War Cry' magazine, 5 September 2015, pp20-21.
You can read 'War Cry' at your nearest Salvation Army church or centre, or subscribe through Salvationist Resources.