European Week of Action for Girls

© UN Photo/Kibae ParkThis week, 8-12 October 2012, is the European Week of Action for Girls. Throughout the week various events and activities, focusing on girls’ rights, will be organised to celebrate the first ever International Day of the Girl Child (11 October 2012).

Girls face multiple challenges in realising their rights. They are more likely to be forced out of school, to be subject to violence and have their sexual rights controlled by others. They may be forced into marriage before they are ready, be subjected to harmful traditional, cultural or religious practices, or denied access to healthcare.

The European Week of Action for Girls calls on the European Union, and international community at large, to take decisive action to overcome these barriers, which prevent girls from achieving their potential.

During the week, organised by Plan EU Office under the patronage of the President of the European Parliament and in partnership with the United Nations Brussels, various events and activities will take place in Brussels and online. Please find the agenda below (source: Plan EU Office).

MONDAY, 8 OCTOBER

Launch of the Girls’ Rights Gazette and youth poll on girls’ rights, aimed at gathering the views of young people in European and developing countries on the most pressing challenges faced by girls worldwide.

Opening of a photo exhibition “Too young to wed”, featuring photography by Stephanie Sinclair. Where: Espace Cheval (ground floor of the ASP building of the European Parliament). When: 8-12 October. Please click pdfhere to download the invitation.

TUESDAY, 9 OCTOBER

From 14.00 – Join #GenderJam, a Twitter event on girls’ rights, and share your views with other young people, policy-makers, media and civil society. For more information about the event, please click here.

WEDNESDAY, 10 OCTOBER

14.00 – Opening of the Girls’ Rights Bus.

15.00 – Opening of a photo exhibition “A day in the life”, looking at the challenges and opportunities of being a girl. Where: the Girls’ Rights Bus.

European Week of Action for Girls

THURSDAY, 11 OCTOBER

9.30-10.00 – To celebrate the first ever International Day of the Girl Child, an official ceremony will be held on the Girls’ Rights Bus at Place du Luxembourg, Brussels.

10.00-11.30 – A policy roundtable on the barriers to girls’ education will be held at the European Parliament, ASP building, room A5e-3. The event will include the EU launch of Plan International’s Because I am a Girl global campaign and 2012 State of the World’s Girls Report, “Learning for Life”.

For more information on both events, the speakers and registration, please click here.

FRIDAY, 12 OCTOBER

9.30-11.30Girls’ right to health, training for MEP assistants, political advisors and European Parliament staff. Where: European Parliament, ASP building, room A5e-3.

Source: Plan EU Office

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Plan EU Office strives to ensure that the promotion and protection of the rights of the child is a priority for the EU’s external action in policy and practice. In addition, its work focuses on a few key thematic areas: gender equality, education, health, child protection, child participation and action for global health.

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