11/10/2026
I have always believed in the girl child, and I am unapologetically biased in her favour. Not simply because I am a father of three daughters, but because I recognise that girls are too often overlooked in the scheme of things, despite the immense potential they carry and the contributions they can make to society.
We have a responsibility to ensure that every girl has access to quality education, adequate protection, capacity-building opportunities and the support she needs to develop her skills, fulfil her potential and pursue her aspirations. No girl should be held back by circumstances, discrimination or limitations imposed by society.
A society that invests in its girls secures a stronger future for its families, communities and generations to come.
On this International Day of the Girl Child, let us move beyond celebrating girls to creating the conditions that enable them to thrive.
Every girl deserves the opportunity to become all she is capable of being.