As women’s rights erode around us, International Day of the Girl reminds us to persevere in our fight for equality and celebrate the milestones achieved by the women before us.
On Oct. 11, the world celebrates International Day of the Girl, a day established by the United Nations in 2011 to recognize girls’ rights, amplify their unique challenges and honor their power. It’s a moment to pause, reflect and recommit to building a world where every girl can dream without limits and rise as an equal, everywhere.
This year’s theme, “The Girl I Am, the Change I Lead,” feels especially urgent and inspiring. According to the U.N., “girls are stepping up to meet today’s biggest challenges. They are organizing in their communities, fighting for climate justice, demanding an end to violence, and reimagining their futures. Girls are asking to be seen not only for the challenges they face, but for who they are and the solutions they bring. Yet too often, their voices go unheard, their actions ignored, and their rights pushed aside.”
Globally, we are still far from equality. The World Economic Forum recently estimated that, at the current pace, it will take 123 years to close the gender gap. Despite knowing I will never see that gap close in my lifetime, I know I have to do all I can to shrink it.
For nearly two decades, my work has centered on shattering stereotypes in the places where they form earliest: toys, sports and media. I have witnessed the transformation that happens when girls finally see themselves reflected in stories, games, dolls and leadership. Representation breathes life into possibility.
Progress is gratifying, yet inequality remains stubbornly entrenched, even as our voices grow louder. In the United States—a nation once looked to as a leader for women’s rights—those rights are being stripped away, piece by piece. Around the world, countless girls are silenced, erased, or denied basic freedoms.
When hope wavers and progress stalls, I look for words that steady me. Recently, I found them in writer Roxane Gay’s powerful essay in The New York Times, “Civility Is a Fantasy,” where she writes:
“As a writer, as a person, I do not know how to live and write and thrive in a world where working for decency and fairness and equality can be seen as incivility … I worry and I worry and I worry, and I feel helpless and angry and tired, but also recognize that doing nothing is not an acceptable choice.”
That line—doing nothing is not an acceptable choice—rings in my ears daily. It’s why I keep going, why I write, create and advocate for change. But what also keeps me going is this year’s theme—“The Girl I Am, the Change I Lead”—and the unwavering belief that women and girls have the ability to change the world.
If we want a more just and balanced world, we must keep lifting up the girls who will one day lead it. Doing nothing is not an acceptable choice.
After reading Gay’s words, I reminded myself of the girl I am and the change I lead, and thought about the many girls who might be feeling that same helplessness right now—those watching rights roll back, hearing their worth debated or wondering if their voices still matter. So, on International Day of the Girl, this letter is for them. It’s a call for action.
Dear girls,
In uncertain times, you may feel unseen, unheard, underestimated or worried about your future. Please know this: I see you. I hear you. I believe in you. You are strong, you are bold, and you are powerful beyond measure.
When the world feels heavy—when progress seems to move backward, when your courage wavers, or when the noise around you feels too loud to rise above—pause if you need to. Rest if you must. But do not give up.
The world needs your voice, your ideas, your strength and your light. It’s okay to be fierce. It’s okay to sparkle. It’s okay to take up space and to speak loudly—because the world needs to hear you.
Women and girls have always fought for equality, and we are all part of that tradition. Never underestimate our collective abilities and strength. Women make up 51 percent of the population; our voices, words and leadership move humanity forward. We must be persistent, support each other and keep showing up—even when the road gets tough.
So when you feel small, remember you come from generations of women who refused to give up. Believe in yourself, especially when others try to dim your light. You were born to lead, to challenge and to inspire. Remember: The girl I am, the change I lead.
With faith in your strength and hope for the future,
Jodi Bondi Norgaard
