By Neticia Pereira, Communications Officer, India (Province of Central East India Nepal)
Across the Province of CEIN, Good Shepherd sisters, partners-in-mission, local partners, communities, children, and government representatives celebrated the International Day of the Girl Child (IDGC) 2026 through a series of awareness, advocacy, and community engagement initiatives. The celebrations highlighted the importance of safeguarding girls’ rights, ensuring access to education, strengthening child protection, and nurturing girls’ leadership.
Guided by the themes “Voices of Change: Investing in Girls’ Rights and Futures” et “End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls’ Rights,” the initiatives brought together more than 1,500 children, adolescent girls, women, and community members from diverse settings, including rural villages, urban communities, and indigenous areas.
Through awareness rallies, cultural performances, interactive sessions, youth-led discussions, and engagement with government authorities, the celebrations gave girls opportunities to express their concerns, share their aspirations, and raise their voices for a safer, more equal, and inclusive society.
Local Celebrations
À Chainpur, Jharkhand, sessions covered menstrual health, personal hygiene, and child protection, while girls took part in dance, song, and poetry performances. The program also recognized girls’ leadership and encouraged their active participation in community development.
À Madhya Pradesh, community mobilization and youth leadership activities addressed child marriage, girls’ rights, and child protection services. In Jarera, adolescent girls demonstrated their confidence, leadership, and capacity to become agents of change within their communities.
À Andhra Pradesh, adolescent girls from the Sarojini Naidu et Sindu groups led a youth-led panel discussion on safety and rights, education, health and nutrition, and digital literacy. They connected their everyday experiences with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The participation of government representatives further strengthened the message that protecting girls’ rights requires sustained collaboration among families, communities and institutions.
À Chennai, Tamil Nadu, MOTTUKAL (Center for Children, Women and Community Development) focused on life skills and personal safety, building on training provided to 308 adolescent girls. The South Chennai District Child Protection Officer released an updated Life Skills Flip Chart Manual.
Demonstrations of Silambam, a traditional martial art, and yoga promoted physical well-being and self-confidence. The program also included the distribution of saplings, notebooks, and reusable water bottles to encourage continued education and environmental responsibility.
À Ouguri, Assam, Jugami, a young leader from the Nijwm Children’s Parliament Group, shared this message:
“I am a girl. I have a voice, I have dreams, and I have the power to bring change. When we invest in girls’ rights, we invest in a better future for everyone.”
Her words captured the spirit of the celebration and reinforced the importance of listening to girls, valuing their perspectives, and creating opportunities for them to lead.
Together, these initiatives showed that when girls are provided with knowledge, encouragement and opportunities, they can confidently contribute to positive change in their families and communities.
Advancing the Sustainable Development Goals
The International Day of the Girl Child 2026 celebrations reflected our ongoing Good Shepherd commitment to promoting the rights, dignity and empowerment of girls and young women. The initiatives supported UN SDGs 3, 4, 5 and 16 by promoting girls’ health, education and gender equality while strengthening child protection and access to justice.
These efforts reaffirm the importance of working together to address the challenges girls face and ensure their rights, voices, and aspirations are recognized and respected.
Every Girl’s Voice Matters
The International Day of the Girl Child calls for sustained efforts to uphold the rights and dignity of every girl, ensuring that girls can live free from violence, discrimination, exploitation, and harmful practices, with equal opportunities to learn, grow, and lead.
The celebrations across the CEIN Province demonstrated the power of collective action and the transformative potential of girls’ participation and leadership. They also reaffirmed the importance of strengthening partnerships with families, communities, civil society organizations and government institutions to build safer and more supportive environments for children and young people.
Good Shepherd sisters and partners-in-mission remain committed to accompanying children and young people, working with families, communities, local partners, civil society organizations, and government institutions to promote their rights, strengthen protective communities, and create opportunities for every girl to realize her full potential.
When girls are heard, protected and empowered, their voices become a force for change—transforming their own lives, strengthening their communities and shaping a more just and inclusive future.
