UNFPA calls for global action to protect, empower girls in crisis
DAR ES SALAAM: THE United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has urged governments and partners around the world to intensify efforts to protect and empower adolescent girls, particularly those living in crises, as the world marks the International Day of the Girl.
In a statement issued on Saturday, UNFPA Executive Director Diene Keita said millions of girls continue to face the harsh realities of conflict, displacement, and economic instability — conditions that deny them access to education, healthcare, and basic human rights.
“Every girl has the right to embrace who she is and choose who she wants to become,” said Ms. Keita. “On her path to adulthood, she must be protected, respected, and allowed to flourish. Her aspirations for her future must be heard and encouraged, and her rights and choices protected.”
According to UNFPA, nearly half of the world’s young people live in countries experiencing high or extreme levels of violent conflict.
In such environments, adolescent girls are often the first to lose access to schools, healthcare, and life-saving sexual and reproductive health services.
Keita noted that insecurity and economic hardship also increase girls’ vulnerability to gender-based violence and child marriage. Yet despite these challenges, many girls continue to show remarkable resilience and leadership.
“They call for safety, dignity and human rights, drawing on their own experiences to demand an end to harmful practices such as female genital mutilation,” she said. “They plead for peace for their families, peers, and communities.”
UNFPA highlighted its support for girls through youth-friendly spaces in 32 crisis-affected countries, which provide access to vital information, psychosocial support, vocational training, and opportunities for young people to voice their concerns.
One participant described the transformative power of such programmes, saying, “My friends and I at the youth centre have studied and worked on ourselves so that we can help the younger generation. We don’t want them to feel what we felt and to deal with what we have.”
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Keita emphasized the importance of investing in organizations led by adolescent girls and young women, adding that UNFPA continues to partner with youth-led movements advocating for health, rights, gender equality, and climate action.
“When a girl steps up to meet the challenges she faces, she must be sure that the world stands beside her,” she said. “Let us commit, on this International Day of the Girl, to advancing the sexual and reproductive health and rights of adolescent girls wherever they live.”
