11 October 2026 · International Day of the Girl Child
End child marriage.Invest in girls' rights.
This year's theme is a call to protect every girl's childhood and to back her rights, so she can choose her own future.
- young women were married as children Source: UNICEF
- 1 in 5
- girls are married every year, about one every three seconds Source: UNICEF
- 12 million
- girls are out of school Source: UNESCO, 2024
- 133 million
How far can a girl go?
As far as sheis given room.
A girl who is allowed to learn, to play and to be heard can lead, create and change the world around her. That is the chance we work to give every girl at the CCT Model Centre.
What the day asks of us
Three focus areas
- 01
Ending child marriage
Urgent awareness and action to stop child marriage, so no girl's childhood is cut short.
- 02
Investing in girls' rights
Education, life-skills training and legal protection, so girls can define their own futures.
- 03
Amplifying girls' voices
Standing with girl-led networks and civil society to remove barriers like dropping out of school and gender-based violence.
The message for the day
Messages for the Day of the Girl Child
She is not just a daughter… she is a dream, a hope, and a beautiful future.
When girls are nurtured, educated, and treated fairly, they grow into strong women who lift up families, communities, and entire countries.
Achieving gender equality is about disrupting the status quo, not negotiating it.
The nation grows when its girls grow.
Be part of it
Help us give every girl the chance to go further.
Your gift supports children with disabilities, and the orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) we care for at the Model Centre.
Figures are the latest published estimates from UNICEF (child marriage) and UNESCO (out-of-school girls, 2024). Theme: End child marriage and invest in girls' rights, as set for the International Day of the Girl Child, 11 October 2026.