Zimbabwe: International commemoration day of the girl child

For Youth Advocates for Children’s Rights (YACR), this day is deeply connected to the foundation of their work. The organisation was created by passionate young people who refused to remain silent while children — particularly girls — faced challenges that stole their futures.

YACR was born in response to what its founders witnessed daily:
girls walking long distances to school without proper meals;
children with no access to health care;
cases of abuse, early marriage, exploitation, and child labour;
and vulnerable children with no safe space to speak, seek help, or be heard.

What pushed the founders into action was silence — silence from communities that accepted harmful norms, silence from leadership, and silence from systems that failed to protect the youngest members of society. If no one would speak for the children, especially girls, they would.

YACR’s mission became clear: to create safe, youth‑led spaces for dialogue, advocacy, and child participation. The organisation believes strongly in the power of young people to influence mindsets, raise awareness, and lead community transformation. Its programming spans education access, child protection, menstrual health support, disability inclusion, and rural outreach to ensure that no child is left behind.

Across many parts of Zimbabwe, girls continue to face cultural pressures, harmful practices, and systemic barriers that limit their ability to thrive. Many are forced out of school to marry early. Others struggle each month due to lack of sanitary wear, leading to missed classes, embarrassment, or health risks. These experiences underscored the need for targeted action.

In response, YACR launched programmes to donate sanitary pads and school stationery to communities where girls needed them most. These interventions may appear simple, but their impact has been profound.

Transforming Girls’ Lives Through Menstrual Health Support

In Matabeleland and Mashonaland East, access to sanitary wear has created visible, measurable improvements in girls’ lives.

Girls who once missed four to five days of school every month can now attend regularly. Absenteeism rates have dropped considerably, and dropout rates — often driven by shame, poverty, or lack of menstrual materials — have fallen as well. Teachers report that girls are more confident, more focused, and more active in class. Participation in extracurricular activities has grown, and girls who previously avoided school during their periods now move with dignity and assurance.

The changes go beyond education. Access to sanitary products:

• improves menstrual hygiene
• reduces the risk of infections
• promotes equality for girls from low‑income families
• strengthens self‑esteem
• increases long‑term education and career opportunities
• empowers girls to take control of their bodies and health

In communities where girls once used rags, old cloths, leaves, and pieces of mattress during their periods, these donations are life‑changing. They replace unsafe alternatives with dignity, comfort, and protection.

How This Change Came About

The improvements witnessed in communities are the result of YACR’s commitment to practical, youth‑led advocacy. Sanitary donations have been a key entry point, but the organisation has always viewed menstrual health as part of a broader struggle for girls’ rights.

These efforts helped:

• break silence and stigma around menstruation
• support girls’ full participation in school and community life
• normalise conversations about menstrual health
• address emotional, physical, and educational barriers
• encourage communities to view girls’ health as a priority

YACR’s work also strengthened community engagement. Many adults, including parents and teachers, became more aware of menstrual health challenges and more willing to support girls openly.

Sustaining and Scaling Up Change

Long‑term impact requires systemic commitment. YACR emphasises policy and advocacy as essential strategies to protect children’s — and especially girls’ — rights.

Strong policies influence the structures that shape girls’ lives. Through advocacy, communities can demand:

• fair access to education
• improved health care
• protection from abuse, neglect, and exploitation
• investment in vulnerable children
• participation of children and youth in decision‑making processes

Sustainable change depends on collaboration between government, civil society, communities, and the children themselves. Evidence‑based advocacy, child participation, community awareness, and strong legal frameworks all ensure that the transformation continues long after donations are made.

At the heart of all this is a belief shared by YACR: when girls are empowered, societies prosper.

Evidence of Change

The evidence demonstrating the impact of advocacy on children’s rights — globally and within Zimbabwe — is substantial. Policy initiatives such as the Zimbabwe Early Learning Policy (2024) and the Second Chance Education Programme have already improved enrolment and retention for girls, including pregnant learners and young mothers. National and regional advocacy efforts led by groups such as GEAR, CAMFED, and ECOZI have strengthened access to education through holistic support, menstrual hygiene provision, and community‑based mobilisation.

Globally, advocacy has secured major wins such as the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, improved child‑care systems, and expanded protection for migrant and refugee children. These examples affirm that sustained advocacy — the same approach used by YACR — leads to measurable change.

A Future Built by Empowered Youth

The International Day of the Girl Child is more than a commemoration. It is a reminder that every girl deserves dignity, opportunity, and protection. YACR continues to build a new generation of responsible, informed, compassionate youth leaders who champion children’s rights at all levels.

Their message is clear:
If we continue to fight for our rights and uplift one another, we can build a future where girls are not limited by poverty, stigma, or silence — but empowered to shape the world.

By: Anotichengeta Saleem Ruzvidzo

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