UN committed to end violence against girls

THE well-being, rights and empowerment of the 1.1 billion girls around the world are central to achieving the 2030 sustainable development agenda, according to the United Nations.
“When we agreed on that agenda, we promise girls quality education and health services,” a UN statement said.
The UN said it was committed to ending discrimination and violence against girls, and harmful practices such as child marriage.
“Too often in villages, shanty towns and refugee camps around the world, girls are the ones left behind – without nutritious food, healthcare or quality education, and at risk of sexual violence,” it said.
“Investing in girls is the right thing to do, and the smart thing to do. It has a powerful ripple effect across all areas of development, and reaches to future generations.
“But what cannot be measured cannot be managed. If we do not gather the data we need, we will never know if we are delivering on our promises.
“We need to make sure that our initiatives are reaching all girls – those in extreme poverty, girls in isolated rural areas, girls living with disabilities, those in indigenous communities, girls who are refugees or displaced within their own countries.
“Timely, high-quality data is vital so that we know where we are meeting our promises, and where we are falling behind.”