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Statement from the Secretary General of the SADC-PF on the International Day Of The Girl Child 11th October 2021

Dear Colleagues/partners,

It is with boundless pleasure that I release this statement to the Forum’s august Member Parliaments and partners in view of celebrating the International Day of Girl Child on this 11th October 2021.  

The Forum fully associates itself with the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 66/170 to commemorate this day in view of recognising girls’ rights and addressing the unique challenges that they face in Africa and around the world.  One of the core objectives of the SADC-PF is give equal chances and opportunities to girl children in Southern Africa such that they progress in education as well as in the implementation of all other human rights, at par with boys, and without discrimination of any kind.

The SADC Model Law on Child Marriage and the Gender Responsive Oversight Model (GROM) are non-exhaustive illustrations of the several initiatives taken by the SADC-PF to empower girl children through parliamentary initiatives. With the advent of the Regional Parliamentary Model Laws Oversight Committee (RPMLOC), which is the Forum’s dedicated organ for monitoring the SADC Model Law on Child Marriage, the Forum is about to embark on close monitoring through parliamentary scorecards with the overarching objective of improving the situation and quality of life of girl children across SADC. In this respect, the Forum invites its longstanding partners to continue engaging the Forum in view of successfully interacting with the RPMLOC and aligning its processes for the ultimate benefit of girl children of the region.

The Forum also commends the theme of the “Digital Generation. Our Generation” chosen in 2021 to commemorate this august day as indeed girl children have endless potentials to tap from the digital possibilities that embrace the third decade of the new millennium. The digital world can act as a catalyst to serve the noble aspirations of girl children.  Indeed, girl children in SADC constitute the future of the region: they can be successful professionals, brilliant academics, loving mothers, ingenious innovators in industry, strategic investors, and so much more. Whichever path they will choose, the Forum commits to accompany them in their journey towards prosperity.

Happy International Day of the Girl Child 2021!

Yours sincerely,

Ms B. Sekgoma,Secretary General,

SADC Parliamentary Forum

11th October 2021

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