The American Human Rights Council (AHRC-USA) joins the United Nations Population Fund and the world community in observing the World Population Day (July 11). This day was recommended by the governing council of the United Nations Development Programme in 1989 to recognize the population issues facing the global community. This year’s theme is “Investing in Teenage Girls.”
Extreme poverty, climate change, hunger, wars, conflicts, divide, oppression, injustices, natural disaster and other global emergencies disproportionately impact women and girls around the world. In addition, teenage girls often face violence in their homes and communities, early child marriage and motherhood without access to information regarding their health and reproductive rights. Many teenage girls are not able to attend school to advance their education and career goals, as they are often charged with assisting in helping to run the household by doing chores and caring for younger siblings. So many others become easy targets for human traffickers to kidnap, one of the fastest growing human crimes in the world.
“Investing in teenage girls globally is in essence investing in girls’ human rights and in the development of entire communities,” said Imad Hamad, AHRC Executive Director. “AHRC stands firmly in support of the global movement toward changing the path for girls to increase their ability to realize their dreams and goals and to live a high quality of life,” added Mr. Hamad.
To learn more about World Population Day and the work of the United Nations Population Fund please visit www.unfpa.org