{"id":12881,"date":"2013-03-04T03:07:44","date_gmt":"2013-03-04T10:07:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/humanium.org\/en\/?page_id=12881"},"modified":"2025-12-06T16:14:30","modified_gmt":"2025-12-06T16:14:30","slug":"girls-rights","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/girls-rights\/","title":{"rendered":"Girls\u2019 rights"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Girls have the right to enjoy their <\/strong>fundamental rights<\/strong><\/a> just as much as their male counterparts. However, reality paints a different picture. Girls\u2019 rights to <\/strong>life<\/strong><\/a>, <\/strong>education<\/strong><\/a>, <\/strong>health<\/strong><\/a>, <\/strong>food<\/strong><\/a>, <\/strong>water<\/strong><\/a>, <\/strong>identity<\/strong><\/a>, <\/strong>freedom<\/strong><\/a> and <\/strong>protection<\/strong><\/a> are blatantly trampled. Intersectional <\/strong>discrimination<\/strong><\/a>, gender-based <\/strong>violence<\/strong><\/a> and the reverberations of <\/strong>wartime<\/strong><\/a> are namely, and non-exhaustively, the causes and impediments to the effective realization of the <\/strong>fundamental rights<\/strong><\/a> afforded to girls worldwide. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Types of discrimination endured by girls<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A large part of the discrimination comes from a gendered perspective that views the female sex as subordinate. Gender discrimination<\/a> can be understood as \u201cany exclusion or restriction made on the basis of gender that creates barriers for girls, boys, women and\/or men in recognizing, enjoying or exercising their full and equal human rights<\/a>\u201d (Save the Children, n.d.). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, discrimination<\/a> can be either direct or indirect. Direct discrimination<\/a> is characterised \u201cby the intent to treat less favourably a person or a group\u201d, whereas indirect discrimination<\/a> refers \u201cto cases where apparently neutral provisions or practices affect members (or perceived members) of a particular group in less favourable ways\u201d (Council of Europe, n.d.). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moreover, girls suffer from intersectional, also said \u201cmultiple\u201d, discrimination<\/a>. Individuals may \u201cdefine themselves, or be defined by others, according to various criteria\u201d, such as, inter alia<\/em>, \u201cgender, sex, sexual<\/a> orientation, nationality, ethnicity, social status, disability, religion<\/a>\u201d  (Council of Europe, n.d.). The concept of intersectionality describes all \u201cthe ways in which systems of inequality\u201d based on the abovementioned factors can interact and mutually reinforce each other to create multifaceted discriminations<\/a> (Center for Intersectional Justice, n.d.). Girls are then faced with and suffer from multiple discriminations, all intertwined, and inherently inseparable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gender-based <\/strong>violence<\/strong><\/a> affecting girls<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Femicide<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Femicide<\/a>, or feminicide, is defined as \u201can intentional killing<\/a> with a gender-related motivation\u201d and may be driven \u201cby stereotyped gender roles, discrimination<\/a> towards women and girls, unequal power relations between women and men, or harmful social norms\u201d (UN Women, 2022). It is the most brutal and violent manifestation of endless violence<\/a> committed against women and girls, and has multiple interconnected and overlapping forms (UN Women, 2022).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Femicide<\/a> has unfortunately become a universal problem (UN Women, 2022). The numbers gathered to that end across the globe is staggering, with Asia accounting for an estimated 17 800 victims, followed by Africa with 17 200 victims, the Americas with 7 500 victims, Europe with 2 500 victims and Oceania with 300 victims (UN Women, 2022). The reasons for such unlawful and brutal killings<\/a> are numerous, and can be related to dowry deaths, rape-murder, crimes committed in the name of so-called \u2018honour\u2019, and family related abuse<\/a> (LSE Centre for Women, Peace and Security, n.d.).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Child marriage<\/a> and early pregnancy<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

According to the United Nations Children\u2019s Funds (\u2018UNICEF\u2019), child marriage<\/a> is defined as \u201cany formal marriage or informal union between a child under the age of 18 and an adult or another child\u201d (UNICEF, n.d.). Child marriage<\/a> robs young girls of their childhood and forces them to, early on, assume responsibilities that fall to adult and to womanhood (UN Women, 2022). The figures indicate that this harmful practice<\/a> is still perpetuated, with an \u201cestimated 640 million girls and women alive today being married in childhood\u201d (UNICEF, 2023).<\/p>\n\n\n

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As a consequence of these forced marriages<\/a>, girl brides are \u201cmore likely to experience early pregnancies\u201d (Girls Not Brides, n.d.). This severely impacts their health<\/a> and girls are left with increased risks of childbirth-related complications, which in turn \u201ccan have long-term health<\/a> impacts\u201d or cause the death of young girls (Girls Not Brides, n.d.). Child marriages<\/a> further impedes the right to education<\/a> of young girls, with the other side being that girls who continue to pursue their education are less likely to get married. (Girls Not Brides, n.d.).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sexual abuse<\/a> and rape<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Rape<\/a> and sexual assault<\/a> are \u201cforms of violence<\/a> in which there is sexual<\/a> contact without consent \u2013 including vaginal or anal penetration, oral sex, and touching of the breasts or genitals\u201d (UNICEF, n.d.). According to UNICEF, around 120 million girls throughout the world, have been victims of forced intercourse or more generally, other forms of forced sexual<\/a> violence at some point in their lives and of these, around 15 million of girls have been raped<\/a> (Equality Now, n.d.; UNICEF, 2014).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sexual<\/a> violence, sexual harassment, and rape<\/a> occur more frequently in places or institutions deemed to be safe, such as schools or within family circles (WHO, 2012). An array of factors can be considered as the root causes for such crimes, namely, gender-inequitable views, gender discriminations<\/a>, gender and social norms linked to traditions and to male superiority, and poor community and legal remedies against such violence (WHO, 2012). As a consequence, girls become concernedly vulnerable to sexual<\/a> and reproductive health<\/a> complications, such as unwanted pregnancy<\/a>, unsafe abortion<\/a> and being exposed sexually transmitted infections, which includes HIV (WHO, 2012). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Child trafficking<\/a> and sexual exploitation<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Child trafficking<\/a> is defined as \u201cthe recruitment and or transfer, harbouring or receipt of children for the purposes of exploitation<\/a>\u201d (UNICEF Canada, n.d.). Children on the move and displaced children<\/a> are the most at risk of being trafficked due to either their isolation, lack of identification documents, or other related factors rendering them vulnerable (UNICEF, 2018). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Girls are particularly at risk of child trafficking<\/a> and are trafficked for the purpose of \u201cprostitution<\/a> and pornography, forced labour<\/a>, including (\u2026) domestic work, arranged marriages<\/a> or to be \u2018sold\u2019 as brides, recruitment for participation in hostilities\u201d (European Institute for Gender Equality, 2016). They are completely deprived of their right to freedom<\/a> and are at utmost risk as they encounter \u201chigh rates of physical and sexual violence<\/a>, memory loss, sexually transmitted diseases, and traumatic brain injuries\u201d (American Psychological Association, 2023).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Girls\u2019 adversity during armed <\/strong>conflicts or war<\/strong><\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

During times of armed conflicts or war<\/a>, <\/strong>women and girls are one of the vulnerable groups affected by violence<\/a> (Human Rights Watch, 2012). In the course of such events, girls\u2019 access to education<\/a> and to essential services such as health care<\/a>, food<\/a> and water<\/a> are disrupted either due to war tactics targeting civilians and vulnerable groups or due to interruption of humanitarian aid due to the intensity of the conflict (UN OHCHR, n.d.). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a consequence, girls are at greater risk \u201cof unplanned pregnancy<\/a>, maternal mortality and morbidity<\/a>, severe sexual<\/a> and reproductive injuries and contracting sexually transmitted infections, including as a result of conflict-related sexual<\/a> violence\u201d (UN OHCHR, n.d.). In times of armed conflict<\/a>, the already compromised fundamental rights<\/a> of girls are wiped out and they are left unprotected and subjected to violations of their rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Girls unattended and their <\/strong>fundamental rights<\/strong><\/a> breached <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
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The right to life<\/a>, education<\/a>, health<\/a>, food<\/a>, water<\/a>, identity<\/a>, freedom<\/a>, and protection<\/a> are often not guaranteed for girls worldwide. Gender equality, which means both girls and boys can benefit from the same set of human rights, resources, opportunities and afforded protections<\/a>, has not been reached, therefore placing girls in an unfavourable position (UNICEF, n.d.). In order to reach gender equality and ensure girls\u2019 fundamental rights<\/a>, the international community as a whole and together with States must abide by the following guidelines: <\/p>\n\n\n\n