Sunday, October 14, 2012

The Inaugural International Day of the Girl Child

The Australian Migrant and Refugee Women’s Alliance (AMaRWA) congratulates the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard and the Australian Government for launching the United Nations Inaugural International Day of the Girl Child.

We are especially delighted with the Prime Minister reiterating that young girls must be encouraged to think for t
hemselves “to have choices and the freedom to exercise them”.

The Australian Migrant and Refugee Women’s Alliance (AMaRWA) applauds the Prime Minister’s emphasis that Education is the key where “Education makes an enormous difference to the health of women and their children, to their job opportunities, their wage levels”.

Choice and Education allows Girls and Young Women to see that there are alternative options aside from traditional cultural arrangements for example; forced marriage, child labour and children and women who are in detention centres.

“We express concerns for the wellbeing of the girl child, children and women and their families who are being held in immigration detention centres offshore in conditions that are detrimental to their physical and psychological health, inappropriate education facilities and options which will affect their lives and urge the government to adhere to their commitment announced in 2010, to move children and families from immigration detention centres to community based detention in the Australia” said Vivi Germanos-Koutsounadis, Chair Network of Immigrant and Refugee Women’s Alliance (NIRWA).

We believe that Gender Equality allows women to have a say in their lives. Gender Equity allows all Girl Child to be empowered to actively participate in a society that is inclusive of their issues. The launch of the Inaugural International Day of the Girl Child is a timely celebration and acknowledgement of the continuous importance of ensuring that all Girl Child and Women must be empowered to play a role in our communities.

AMaRWA will continue to work with the Australian Government and the other six National Women’s Alliances to ensure that Gender Equity allows all Girl Child and women, including immigrant and Refugee and Aboriginal to be empowered to actively participate in the Australian society.










Australian Migrant and Refugee Women's Alliance (AMaRWA) is the peak Alliance for CALD Gender.




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The NIRWA Team

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