Why do we celebrate International Day of the Girl?

Girls often face mental health problems because they deal with a lot of stress and difficulties. These include poverty, violence, early marriage, isolation from friends, heavy household duties, and pressure to conform to strict gender roles. They may experience violence, or pressure to take care of family members.  Sometimes, people don’t believe or listen when girls talk about their problems, which makes them feel ignored and dismissed. 

Girls who are forced into child marriages often experience overwhelming responsibilities and isolation. The girl led research found that mental health support for girls is extremely limited, leaving many to cope alone with serious challenges.  

Periods are expensive. Menstrual products are a recurring monthly expense, and for those living in poverty, even small costs add up and can be unaffordable over time.  Girls told us that they often have to choose between buying food or period products and end up using unsafe alternatives like old cloth or borrowing money from friends. The shame around periods also makes it harder for girls to ask for help or money from family members. 

Hidden expenses like access to clean water, safe sanitation, pain relief, and adequate clothing, are also frequently overlooked. Financial barriers are intensified by trade policies that tax menstrual products as ‘luxuries’ and make basic necessities expensive, disproportionately affecting poorer communities since products are rarely subsidised or provided for free. These challenges reflect deeper systemic issues, economic injustice, underfunded public services, and patriarchal structures that treat menstruation as shameful and prioritise profit over people's health and dignity.  

Child marriage has devastating and long-lasting consequences that rob girls of their childhood, future opportunities and freedom. When girls marry, they almost always drop out of school, become isolated from friends and family, and are limited in their ability to make independent choices about their life.  

The health impacts can also be severe and life-threatening. Young girls face dangerous complications during pregnancy and childbirth because their bodies aren't fully developed. Beyond physical health, married girls experience overwhelming psychological pressure. They suddenly become responsible for cooking, cleaning, caring for children, elderly relatives, and managing household duties – as children, these are responsibilities they're emotionally and physically unprepared for. 

Social isolation is another major consequence. Married girls lose contact with friends and support networks, often living with in-laws who may treat them harshly. Many report feeling lonely, depressed, and trapped in situations they can't escape. The girl-led research shows that girls who marry early often have no control over major decisions in their lives