International Day of the Girl Child 2026: Girls' Stories

This week marks International Day of the Girl Child on Sunday 11 October 2026.

For this year’s Day of the Girl, we’re sharing why girls need access to sexual and reproductive healthcare. And we’re amplifying the voices of young people we’ve supported – teenage girls using contraception or accessing abortion care so they can determine their own futures.

What is International Day of the Girl Child?

International Day of the Girl Child is every October 11 – it brings girls’ rights to the forefront. Why girls’ rights? Because girls face unique challenges around the world. Persisting gender inequality affects their lives and undermines their human rights. Some girls are facing child marriage, sexual and gender-based violence, or abuse and sexualisation online. Some are forced to drop out of their education due to unplanned pregnancy. We need to shine a spotlight on these issues.

But the day is also about celebrating girls. Girls all around the world, in all their beautiful diversity – their voices, ideas, actions and leadership.

The Day of the Girl was made an official global day by the United Nations in 2012.

At MSI, we support girls every day to access their rights and shape their futures. We believe every girl deserves the freedom to make her own choices and decide her own path. For that, girls need reproductive rights, information and healthcare.

What is the International Day of the Girl Child 2026 theme?

The 2026 theme for the Day of the Girl Child is end child marriage and invest in girls’ rights.

At MSI, we invest in girls’ rights and futures. We do not underestimate girls. We know they have dreams, hopes for their futures, and plans for their life. It shouldn’t be a big ask for a girl to stay in school and receive a full education. To make informed decisions about her body and own health. To have her reproductive rights respected. These should be the bare minimum.

MSI supports young people every day with their reproductive choices – giving them the information, options and control they deserve.

In 2025, MSI’s reproductive health services supported 620,000 girls to stay in school.

How MSI supports adolescents and young people

MSI teams around the world use specific approaches to reach young people. Some examples are:

Visiting schools to provide informational talks and connect girls to contraceptive services.
Advocating in communities, working with youth champions, parents, teachers and local leaders to build greater support for adolescents to access reproductive healthcare.
Marketing that’s geared towards young people – including toll-free numbers where girls can call or text to receive confidential information and referrals to services.
MSI Ladies (local nurses) who discreetly provide contraception or abortion services for young people, at their homes or another community location.
Young MSI peer mobilisers who talk with other girls in their local area, raising awareness of reproductive healthcare options.

Meet the girls we support

Adadechei is going back to school

Adadechei was supported by an MSI mobile health nurse who visited her community in rural Nigeria. She chose to start using a contraceptive implant.

“I really want to go back to school and get a better life for myself and my child. I don’t want pregnancy or childbirth to limit me to just being a dropout. I want to go back to school to become the person I want to be.”

Evodie is choosing her next chapter

Evodie is a teenage mother to a one-year-old. A local MSI ‘Big Sister’ peer educator gave her information on MSI’s services so she could choose what happens next in life.

“She explained to me what my options were. I thought family planning sounded really good, because it gives me time until my child grows. Contraception helps with many things we didn’t know it could.”

Sheila is completing her university degree

Sheila lives in Accra, Ghana. She’s studying to be a lawyer and one day would like to be a CEO of her own company. Here’s why she turned to MSI for support:

“When I started using contraception and it worked, I felt so much calmer. I can live without the fear of getting pregnant and dropping out of school. I can focus on my studies better.”