
President Boakai Declares Saturday, October 11, 2025, As ‘International Day Of The Girl Child’
The President of the Republic of Liberia, His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., has issued a Proclamation declaring Saturday, October 11, 2025, as “International Day of the Girl Child,” to be observed throughout the Republic as a Working Holiday.
According to a Foreign Ministry release, the Day will be celebrated under the global theme, “The Girl I Am, The Change I Lead; Girls On The Frontline Of Crisis” and the national theme: “I Am A Girl, My Voice, My Power, Building Hope In Crisis.”
The Proclamation calls on all local and international organizations, government ministries and agencies concerned to join the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection in implementing appropriate programs befitting the occasion.
The release further states that an indoor program commemorating the day will be held at the Gbarnga Administrative Building, Gbarnga City, Bong County commencing at 10 o’clock anti meridian while the outdoor program will starts at 8 o’ clock anti meridian.
The Proclamation is in consonance with the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 66/170, which was adopted December 19, 2011 declaring October 11, of each year as the International Day of the Girl Child in recognition of girls’ rights and the unique challenges they face around the world.
The Proclamation furthers acknowledged the importance of empowerment and investment in girls which are critical for the eradication of poverty and breaking the cycle of discrimination, violence and abuse suffered by girls around the world.
Girl’s full participation in the future workforce will require tackling gender stereotypes across professions and addressing the many systemic barriers to decent work they face. Today’s generation of girls are preparing to enter a world of work that is being transformed by innovation and automation.
The Proclamation also indicates that there are over 1.1 billion girls who are part of a large and vibrant global generation ready to take over the future. However, many girls do not have access to career guidance or training they need to transition from school to work.
“According to the 2022 Liberia census report, 41.5% of the population are children aged 0-17, 24.2% are adolescent, and 41.7% are youth aged 15-35, where adolescent pregnancy undermines girls’ human rights and compromises their opportunity to fully realize their socioeconomic development potential. Teenage girls who have early exposure to sexual intercourse are thereby at risk of pregnancy and childbearing. Teenage childbearing increased form 32% in 2007 to 38% in 2009 before declining to 30% in 2019-2020. Around 33% of girls age15-19 in Liberia are either mothers or pregnant. Teenage pregnancy rates tend to be higher in rural areas and among girls with no education, contributing to school dropout rates, limiting educational and future opportunities for girls, and poses significant health risks”, the Presidential Proclamation stresses.
The release says that the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Gender, children and social protection is mandated to coordinate and ensure gender equality and equity, promote the survival, social protection, and development of children, who are vulnerable or with disabilities, and to integrate fulfillment of their rights.