World International Day Of The Girl Child: “With Her: A Skilled Girl Force”

Today's generation of girls are preparing to enter a world of work that is being transformed by innovation and automation. Educated and skilled workers are in great demand, but roughly a quarter of young people – most of them female – are currently neither employed nor in education nor training.

One billion young people – including 600 million adolescent girls – that will enter the workforce in the next decade. More than 90 per cent of those living in developing countries will work in the informal sector, in jobs that are not regulated or protected, and where low or no pay, abuse and exploitation are common. The most disadvantaged girls, including those in rural areas and those with disabilities, have even less access to decent work. 

“Just like boys, girls can become doctors, lawyers, we can do anything if we have the support. We just want to have the same opportunities.”

Fatima Ansari, Pakistan

Right now, many girls are not developing the skills they will need to secure decent work later in life. Ten per cent of primary-aged girls are out of school. Many more are not able to progress to secondary school and need support developing basic skills in reading and math.

Read more https://www.unicef.org/gender-equality/international-day-of-the-girl-2018