International Day of the Girl Child: UN still telling girls equality needs to be on men’s terms

11 Oct 2016 International Day of the Girl Child: UN still telling girls equality needs to be on men’s terms

October 11 marks the 5th annual International Day of the Girl. The United Nations is using this opportunity to call for increased access to abortion for girls worldwide. The pressure on women to delay and/or limit their childbearing is significant in Western countries, and we seem determined to push the same mindset on a broader global scale.

In fact, motherhood should be viewed for what it is: a unique and powerful opportunity for women to shape the next generation, teaching both boys and girls that equality is not defined by sameness, but by value and respect.

Girls face immense barriers to equality around the world, despite repeated attempts and international initiatives to balance these inequities. The International Day of the Girl should focus on gender-based violence and injustice, on access to excellent medical care, quality education, and the ending of child marriage. To shift the focus to pregnancy and abortion access does nothing to enhance girls’ prospects, but only reinforces the message that women earn equality by becoming more like men.

Read the full article at MercatorNet.