Online discussion on elimination of all forms of discrimination and violence against the girl child

How can girls be protected from abuse? Contributions from an international online discussion

By: Schuepp, C
Published by: United Nations (UN) Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW), 2006
Via: Eldis

This report presents an overview of a four-week online discussion on the rights of the girl child, conducted in 2006, drawing heavily on direct quotes from participants’ contributions. The discussion covered three main topics, and concluded with the development of recommendations. The opening discussion addressed the issue of protection of the girl child and the situation facing girls in vulnerable situations, focusing on:

• early marriage
• female genital mutilation / cutting
• female foeticide and infanticide
• child labour, especially child domestic work
• sexual abuse, especially of child domestic workers
• girls in jail
  

The discussion on empowerment of the girl child addressed:

• the centrality of girls’ education as a means to empower girls
• changing social and community attitudes and behaviours
• the positive and negative influence of the media
  

The final discussion topic, on monitoring progress, considered problems and practical solutions in collecting and comparing data relevant to girls. The concluding week of the online discussion developed recommendations. Key points were

• the need to prevent abuses and discrimination against girls
• the need for better cooperation between stakeholders
• education of girls is essential, but so is education of society in general
  

The results of the online discussion will contribute to the Commission in the Status of Women in its deliberations on the priority theme, “The elimination of all forms of discrimination and violence against the girl child”, during its 51st session in 2007.

(http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/egm/elim-disc-viol-girlchild/
Online%20discussion%20report_Final.pdf)