International Day of the Girl Child 2024
On October 11 we will celebrate International Day of the Girl Child, a topic we are passionate about and on which we focus our Travel Côte d’Ivoire partnership efforts.
With this observance in mind, our thoughts are drawn to the bright, engaging girls we’ve had the honor of spending time with during our trips to Côte d’Ivoire - some shy, lowering their eyes or hiding smiles, others eager to be seen and vying for the camera - all worthy of investment in their future.
In our inaugural trip, we partnered with Women, Entrepreneurs, and Leaders (WEL NGO) in a panel and workshop to help establish the organization’s top priorities. All of the ladies impressed us with their creativity, work ethic and desire to affect change. The organization’s leader, Elodie Kouadio is a rising star among women taking the lead in fighting for gender equity and social capital in Côte d’Ivoire.
Investing in women and girls’ equitable access to education, economic pursuits, health and socio-political roles yields significant overall returns to a community, nation and the world.
· Investing in income-generating programs and activities for women can return as much as $7 for every dollar spent
· Giving women increased access to land ownership can lead to increased innovation in sustainable farming and resilience to natural disasters
· Ensuring girls’ education and choice in family planning would reduce carbon by 85 gigatons by 2050
· A child born to a mother who can read is 50% more likely to survive past the age of 5
When women are entitled to the full and equal enjoyment of all of their human rights and are free from all forms of discrimination, our world will be a much better place, indeed.