International Day of the Girl

Celebrate International Day of the Girl with us in October!

Everyday Girl Scouts take action to make the world a better place. Whether they collect feminine products for girls in need, remove debris from the beach shore, or help other girls learn to code, their efforts make them changemakers. And that's why our council celebrates International Day of the Girl - to recognize the power of girls.

Throughout October, we encourage troops to host glow parties to showcase girls' achievements, visions for the future, and the influence of their voices to ensure girls are protected, respected, and empowered. Additionally, troops and individual girls are encouraged to play International Day of the Girl bingo; girls complete the activities on the card to get a bingo and earn a fun International Day of the Girl patch! Troops and individual girls can order glow party kits today and print bingo cards from our website.

International Day of the Girl is celebrated every year on Oct. 11, when the global community comes together to celebrate the strength of girls and to highlight, discuss, and take action to advance the rights of and opportunities for girls across the globe.

Let's glow for the power of girls!

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Background

In 1995 at the World Conference on Women in Beijing countries unanimously adopted the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action – the most progressive blueprint ever for advancing the rights of not only women but girls. The Beijing Declaration is the first to specifically call out girls’ rights.

On December 19, 2011, United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 66/170 to declare October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child, to recognize girls’ rights and the unique challenges girls face around the world.

The International Day of the Girl Child focuses attention on the need to address the challenges girls face and to promote girls’ empowerment and the fulfilment of their human rights.

Adolescent girls have the right to a safe, educated, and healthy life, not only during these critical formative years, but also as they mature into women. If effectively supported during the adolescent years, girls have the potential to change the world – both as the empowered girls of today and as tomorrow’s workers, mothers, entrepreneurs, mentors, household heads, and political leaders. An investment in realising the power of adolescent girls upholds their rights today and promises a more equitable and prosperous future, one in which half of humanity is an equal partner in solving the problems of climate change, political conflict, economic growth, disease prevention, and global sustainability.

Girls are breaking boundaries and barriers posed by stereotypes and exclusion, including those directed at children with disabilities and those living in marginalized communities. As entrepreneurs, innovators and initiators of global movements, girls are creating a world that is relevant for them and future generations.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by world leaders in 2015, embody a roadmap for progress that is sustainable and leaves no one behind.

Achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment is integral to each of the 17 goals. Only by ensuring the rights of women and girls across all the goals will we get to justice and inclusion, economies that work for all, and sustaining our shared environment now and for future generations.

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This Year's theme: Girls’ Vision for the Future

The 2024 International Day of the Girl theme is "Girls’ Vision for the Future," conveying the need for urgent action and persistent hope, driven by the power of girls’ voices and their vision for the future.

Today’s generation of girls is disproportionately affected by global crises of climate, conflict, poverty, and pushback on hard won gains for human rights and gender equality. Too many girls are still denied their rights, restricting their choices and limiting their futures.

Yet, recent analysis shows that girls are not only courageous in the face of crisis, but hopeful for the future. Every day, they are taking action to realize a vision of a world in which all girls are protected, respected and empowered.
But girls cannot realize this vision alone. They need allies who listen to and respond to their needs.

With the right support, resources and opportunities, the potential of the world’s more than 1.1 billion girls is limitless. And when girls lead, the impact is immediate and wide reaching: families, communities and economies are all stronger, our future brighter.

It is time to listen to girls, to invest in proven solutions that will accelerate progress towards a future in which every girl can fulfil her potential.

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This year’s event will shine in glow-party style! Troops and/or girls can play International Day of the Girl Bingo to earn their Day of the Girl patch. Troops can order a glow party kit to celebrate their voices and do activities on the bingo game to imagine their future. Click the link at the box below to order your party kit.

What’s in the glow party kit?

Glow sticks and more
Party playlist
Glow ballons
Compact mirrors (if completing the mirror Image activity)

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Print out the International Day of the Girl Bingo card at the link below to earn a special 2024 Day of the Girl Patch!

Glow party activities on the bingo card

Imagine your future self! What do you want to be when you grow up? Have a costume glow party and the girls dress up as their future self.
Mirror image! – Using a mirror compact, write a positive note to your future self.
Have a vision board party to set goals of what you want to accomplish this Girl Scout year! A vision board is a collection of images, words, and other visuals that represent your goals and aspirations. They can be used to help you visualize your goals, stay motivated, and inspire you to act. These images are collected from magazines, newspapers, etc.
Write a letter to your future self. Writing a letter can help you identify your values and priorities and understand who you are and who you want to become. It can be a way to send words of inspiration and encouragement to yourself.
Sticker girls at school – Contact your Community engagement manager who can provide council Day of the Girl stickers
Yard signs and posters – These items can be picked up at the Girl Scout Center.
Invite a girl to your troop meeting – Make sure your troop has openings in your troop before a new girl is invited.

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Troops and/or girls can play International Day of the Girl Bingo to earn their Day of the Girl patch. Once the troop/girl has completed the bingo activity, order the Day of the Girl 2025 patch by Sunday, Nov. 3.

Glow Kit

Let's glow to celebrate International Day of the Girl! Get your glow party kit today.

Bingo Card

Print your bingo cards, do some of the activities on the card to get a bingo and a patch!

Get Your Patch!

Order your 2024 International Day of the Girl Patch by Nov. 3.