Changed lives, better living - World marks International Day of Girl Child
This year’s International Day of the Girl Child (IDGC) is being celebrated globally today, Friday, October 11, on the theme: Empowering girls for a brighter tomorrow.
The Day of the Girl Child, which is an international observance day declared by the United Nations (UN), highlights the needs and challenges girls face, while promoting girls' empowerment and the fulfilment of their human rights.
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IDGC also recognises the empowerment of and investment in girls, which are critical for economic growth, the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including the eradication of poverty, as well as the meaningful participation of girls in decisions that affect them as key in breaking the cycle of discrimination and violence and in promoting and protecting the full and effective enjoyment of their human rights.
IDGC is also observed to make a strong case that empowering girls requires their active participation in decision-making processes and the active support and engagement of their parents, legal guardians, families and care providers, as well as boys and men, and the wider community.
This year’s IDGC will celebrate achievements by, with and for girls, since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the passage of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
In spite of the remarkable progress over the last 25 years, there is a call on the global community to create more opportunities for girls’ voices to be heard and safe spaces for their participation in decision-making as leading change for girls is everyone’s responsibility.
CAMA Network
One movement that is making a difference in the lives of young women and girls is CAMA (CAMFED Alumnae Association). CAMA is a strong alumnae network of 26,905 young women who have benefited from CAMFED's support.
CAMA members are united by a background of poverty and a commitment to plough back into their communities with profound demonstrated impacts at the family, community, national and international levels.
CAMA members are involved in efforts to enable children to remain in school with material assistance and mentoring. Members are also involved in training other young people in key areas such as reproductive health, financial literacy, business skills, women and children’s rights and advocacy for change.
CAMA Fund
As a demonstration of their commitment to develop themselves and invest the benefits of their education back into their communities, the CAMA network established the CAMA Fund.
The CAMA Fund is a discretionary fund owned and run by the CAMA network to enable CAMA to provide targeted and immediate material support to out-of-school children and those at risk of dropping out of school to remain in school, perform well and complete their education.
The fund is also designed to formalise and give an organised structure to CAMA’s philanthropic initiatives. Since the fund became operational, a total of 5,822 vulnerable children have been supported.
These beneficiaries were drawn from the six districts, which are Chereponi 1,348; Kpandai 1,497; Mfantseman 1,196; Karaga 505; Bawku West 368; and Garu-Tempane 908. Out of the total number reached, 3,488, representing 59.9 per cent, were girls.
In addition to the implementation of the CAMA Fund, individually, CAMA members are using the power of one to make a change through community sensitisation programmes in all districts of operation.
Major issues on which sensitisation programmes have been undertaken include health, education, sanitation and environment, financial literacy, among others.
For instance, as a CAMA member and health practitioner, Fatima Yakubu, has been the resource person in advocacy and community sensitisation programmes on health-related issues such as teenage pregnancy, maternal mortality, Hepatitis B, epilepsy, breast cancer, malnutrition, HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.
In October 2014, Fatima initiated and spearheaded a project called “Safe Delivery: Priority for All,” in her community to reduce the high rate of maternal mortality and morbidity.
This initiative helped to increase the number of pregnant mothers who visited the hospital for antenatal and prenatal care.
Some CAMA members have been trained as peer educators and are responsible for visiting schools in selected districts of operation to deliver financial literacy and entrepreneurship training to community members.
‘My Better World’
As part of the implementation of the ‘My Better World’ (MBW) programme in schools in selected districts, CAMFED trained some CAMA members as learner guides who visited schools in the selected districts to deliver the course modules under the MBW programme.
The MBW is a well-being programme designed for students to have a deeper understanding of themselves in order to influence the life choices and decisions they make.
Nimatu Siisu, a CAMA member, has facilitated the selection and training of other CAMA members who are serving as learner guides to 3,600 senior high school
students on the My Better World programme.
As we celebrate International Day of the Girl Child, CAMA affirms its commitment to continue to be a vehicle for change in communities. CAMA members will continue to advocate the rights of young women and girls and encourage communities to lead change.
The CAMA network will be developed as a platform for women’s leadership and an African-led young women’s movement for change.
• The writer is a programme manager of Camfed Ghana