#DayoftheGirl brings together Save the Children and YUVAA in a nationwide campaign on girls’ safety

by Suman Gupta 

12^th October, New Delhi: This International Day of the Girl Child, Save the Children announces a new campaign called #LightUpHerLife in collaboration with YUVAA, a youth community. They will be building momentum through 16 Days of Activism to curbviolence against girls and women, culminating with the National Day of Girl Child, 2020. The purpose of this campaign is to engage the youth to take initiatives for women safety in public areas, and help make girls feel safe in India.

Designed to engage the youth in creating a world where girls feel safe in public places, by acknowledging, understanding women’s safety, this campaign will encourage tangible actions by the youth. Save the Children published WINGS report 2018 (World of India’s Girls), that focused on the perception of safety for girls in public places launched in May last year.  The comprehensive WINGS 2018 report by Save the Children details out how and why girls feel unsafe in India, inpublic places after dark, and the main concern highlighted is that girls are unable to achieve their full potential due to these safety concerns. When public spaces are deemed unsafe, girls spend less time engaging with the public by working, going to school, tuitions, etc. in favour of staying at home and being “safe”.

Referring to the report, Bidisha Pillai, CEO, Save the Children said, “In the 63 per cent women said they fear going outdoors after dark and more than 20 per cent said they avoided going outdoors alone altogether for fear of harassment. If we are serious about making sure they have access to opportunities, we have to ensure that public spaces are safe and accessible.”

Shining light on Save the Children’s girl champions, Saleha, who is now globally recognised as a crusader, demanding a world where all girls are educated. Shalini Sahu, another girl champion is a young child rights advocate from Odisha who has been spreading awareness among her community around the issues of child marriage, Sexual & Reproductive Health and Rights.

11 October has been marked as the International Day of the Girl. Celebrated since 2012, the day aims to highlight and address the needs and challenges faced by girl child, while promoting empowerment and the fulfilment of their human rights.

About Save the Children:Aligning with their global #BridgetheGapcampaign, Save the Children in India is in solidarity with the initiative to reach out to local self-government, with a demand to stop child marriage and to educate all girls.

Save the Children works across 20 states of India and in 120 countries, on issues related to education, health, protection and humanitarian/DRR needs of children, especially for those who are the most deprived and marginalized.