From Panchagarh to the Diplomatic Stage: Sadia carries the flag on International Day of the Girl Child
The member states of the United Nations unanimously adopted the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in 1995, the most progressive blueprint ever for advancing the rights of not only women but girls and built on that on December 19, 2011, United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 66/170 to declare October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child, to recognize girls’ rights and the unique challenges girls face around the world.
International Day of the Girl is an annual effort to celebrate girls everywhere. We celebrate it to, amplifying their voices, actions and leadership. On this day, we make an effort to remember the significance of recognising and advocating for the full spectrum of girls’ rights.
This year’s theme is ‘the girl I am, the change I lead: Girls on the frontlines of crisis.’ Wherever we see conflict worldwide, torn by war and displacement, girls are showing extraordinary strength and leadership. From Sudan to Colombia, from Gaza to Ukraine, they are standing at the heart of their communities, proving that peace begins with courage and compassion.
In Sudan, as the streets witnessed violence creeping back, young women protested first, captured the truth, and cared for the wounded. In Colombia, peacebuilders negotiated with men holding guns, proving that peace is not a word typed out in papers but one that is fought and lived every day. In Gaza, daughters and mothers are rebuilding life from the rubble, keeping families together in the face of loss and terror. Yet the world forgets to seat them at the decision-making tables. Peace is too frequently negotiated without listening to the voices of those who must pay personally for war. But peace lasts, however, when women and girls are included. It is more compassionate, more just.
This International Day of the Girl Child is a call to see them clearly, not as victims, but as visionaries. The girl who stands in the midst of devastation and still clings to her dreams is shaping the future of the world. Her courage is not a headline. It is the heartbeat of peace.
Dhaka witnessed a diplomatic switch on Saturday, October 11, as Sadia, a determined HSC student from the northern district of Panchagarh, stepped into the shoes of Norway’s Ambassador to Bangladesh. This extraordinary event was part of Plan International’s global “Girls Take Over” campaign, marking the International Day of the Girl Child. Sadia, who rose through the National Children’s Task Force, transformed the Embassy into a platform for possibility, proving that a girl’s potential knows no bounds, regardless of her origin. As Ambassador for a day, Sadia held a high-level meeting with UN Women’s representative, advocating for youth leadership and girls’ rights. Her personal fight against child marriage and injustice has been her defining mission. “I hope to inspire girls to rise above obstacles,” she said, a sentiment praised by the permanent Norwegian Ambassador, Håkon Arald Gulbrandsen, who noted that empowering girls moves entire communities forward.
Sadia’s powerful voice is a source of inspiration for millions fighting for body autonomy. Her courageous battle to end early marriage is intimately linked to the broader struggle for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). Before a girl can truly assert her future, to become an ambassador, an engineer, or an activist, she must first be guaranteed the right to information and control over her own body and health.
In Bangladesh, where child marriage and early pregnancy rates remain alarmingly high, access to comprehensive SRHR education and services is crucial. It’s the key to reducing gender-based violence and ensuring young women have the informed choice they need to pursue their dreams. Her one day as Ambassador reminds us that investing in a girl’s SRHR is the surest way to advance an entire nation.
Sources:
- Dhaka Chronicle’s Instagram page
- The website of UNICEF
- The website of the UN
- The website of the UN Security Council