The International Girl Child Day is commemorated worldwide annually on 11^th of October to highlight and address the needs and challenges girls face, while promoting girls’ empowerment and the fulfilment of their human rights.  Active Voices for Sustainable Development Initiative (Active Voices) commemorated this year’s event with the universal theme, “Girls Force: Unscripted and Unstoppable”, by holding a dialogue session in relation to the theme with female student of Junior Secondary School, Wuse Zone 6, Abuja.

The students who were also given a brief lecture on leadership and gender-based violence were encouraged to script their future themselves and not let societal norms dictate how their lives were going to turn out.

Addressing the student, Active Voices Communication Officer, Ms. Evarista Daudu, discussed goal setting and stressed on the need for the student to aspire high, pursue their dreams, set their 10 years goal to greatness and work towards achieving them.

During the Q&A session, the student bared their minds on various issues ranging from bullying, peer pressure, societal norms to sexual harassment by their male counterparts and strategies for mitigating them were discussed.

At the end of the event, Didi a student thanked Active Voices team for the educative session, adding that they will take better care of themselves and protect their future going forward.