As the world celebrated this year’s International Day of the Girl Child on Friday, girls and women find themselves at the intersection of multiple global crises.

Climate change threatens not only their physical environment and wellbeing, but also their access to education and economic opportunities.

Conflicts around the world continue to displace families, with girls often bearing the brunt of consequences, including increased risk of violence and interrupted schooling.

This year’s commemoration under the theme ‘“Girls’ Vision for the Future’, comes at a critical time, as UNICEF’s latest report paints a grim picture of the reality on the ground.

According to their estimates, more than 370 million girls and women alive today – or 1 in 8 – experienced rape or sexual assault before the age of 18. When non-contact forms of sexual violence are included, this number rises to a staggering 650 million globally – or 1 in 5 girls and women. “Sexual violence against children is a stain on our moral conscience,” said UNICEF Executive Director, Catherine Russell.

“It inflicts deep and lasting trauma, often by someone the child knows and trusts, in places where they should feel safe”, she added.

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In Kenya, the challenges facing girls are particularly acute. The recently published Gender in Education Report by Usawa Agenda, examines the state of gender relations transformation in basic education, revealing concerning trends.

An estimated 19,230 teenage girls were reported pregnant in the year leading up to the study (2023), highlighting the ongoing issue of teenage pregnancy and its impact on girls’ education.

The 2019 Violence Against Children Survey in Kenya shows that one in six females (15.6 per cent) experienced childhood sexual violence, with up to 62.6 per cent of them experiencing it multiple times before the age of 18.

“The data paints a grim reality for many girls in Kenya who are experiencing sexual violence, even within their own schools, communities and online. This is unacceptable,” said Shaheen Nilofer, UNICEF Kenya Representative.

Education remains a critical area of concern. According to World Bank estimates, 95 per cent of adolescent girls in Kenya miss between one and three days of school every month due to period poverty.

Kenyan girls are still less likely to complete their education or secure well-paying jobs than their male counterparts, perpetuating cycles of inequality and poverty.

Despite these challenges, there is cause for hope.  Around the world, young women are taking charge, driving initiatives and influencing decisions in ways that reshape societies.

The narrative is shifting from what girls can achieve to celebrating the impact they are already making.

In Kenya, organisations like the Gender Violence Recovery Centre (GVRC) are partnering with young leaders to elevate girls’ voices and let them define their own futures. On this year’s International Day of the Girl Child, GVRC, in collaboration with the Embassy of Denmark in Kenya, hosted a Girl Takeover event that gave young leaders like 15-year-old Zuena Gome Mnyaka the opportunity to step out.

Zuena took on the responsibilities of Stephan Schønemann, the Ambassador of Denmark to Kenya, engaging in impactful discussions about the future and the challenges facing girls.