MUMBAI: A historic milestone for girls' rights was reached when the United Nation recently declared October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child. Plan, a child centered community development organisation had helped lead the call for this commemorative day as part of it’s 'Because I am a Girl' (BIAAG) initiative, a global movement to end gender inequality and promote girls' rights. Globally Plan is celebrating the resolution to spread the message to ensure its commitment to girls’ rights.

Plan India commemorated the special day for girl child by organising a melodious mystic with the six best bands in the country to raise awareness stressing on the need for education and dignity to be bestowed upon girl child who faces double discrimination due to her gender and age.  The ‘Because I am a Girl Rock Concert’, was held at Chitrakoot ground, Andheri , West in Mumbai . The concert was aimed to raise awareness and funds that would be utilized to improve the lives of the girls through education, protection, skill building and empowerment.

India’s famous Rock Bands Indian Ocean, Indus Creed, Sona Mahapatra, Euphoria, Papon and Parikrama enthralled the crowd as they belted out popular numbers from their album. However, the flavour of the evening was the “Because I am a Girl” “anthem. Titled, “Main Hoon”, the song is an ode to all the daughters in the world. The artists of rock bands had together composed the song, as a tribute to girl child.

'Because I am a Girl' (BIAAG) is a global initiative launched by Plan to promote girls' rights and lift millions of them out of poverty. It is geared towards equipping, enabling and engaging girls of all ages to acquire the assets, skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in life. Plan India is attempting to initiate change at a number of levels (i.e. local, national and international) with the assistance of a number of partners.

This year the goal of Plan’s Because I Am a Girl campaign is “Learning for Life” which commits  towards building the human capital of girls through knowledge and skills, aiming to equip, enable and empower girls of all ages to acquire the assets, skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in life. Adolescent girls stand at the doorway to adulthood. If adolescent girls stay in school and obtain real skills, research shows that they will earn more income in the future, marry later, and have fewer and healthier children.  In the longer term, secondary education protects girls against HIV and AIDS, sexual harassment and human trafficking. A combination of secondary education with financial assets and life skills, is essential for adolescent empowerment, development and protection.

Anil Kapoor, Patron & Goodwill Ambassador, Plan India who was present at the concert said “I have supported Plan India for over six years and have worked closely for various causes including Birth Registration, Violence against children, and human trafficking. However the cause of Girls remains closest to my heart as I am a father of two wonderful daughters.”

“It’s really important to educate girls to ensure they obtain right skill set, marry later and lead a safe and healthy life. I echo Plan India voice for investing in Girls as the principal key to eliminating poverty.” He added.

Bhagyashri Dengle, Executive Director, Plan India said, “Ending gender discrimination and promoting girls’ empowerment is a key focus area of Because I am Girl Campaign. Plan India programmes aim at transforming the lives of girls by overcoming barriers and building their assets through a life cycle approach so that they realize their full potential in societies that recognize the equal rights of boys and girls.”

“Over next five years, Plan’s “Because I am a Girl” campaign aims to support millions of girls worldwide to get the education, skills and support they need to transform their lives and the world around them.  In India we aim to ensure over 3, 40, 000 girls remain in school and access quality education, 1,00,000 girls complete secondary school through various school improvement program and  50,000 girls receive vocational training by the year 2015.” She added.

As a part of the ongoing BIAAG campaign, Plan India unfolded the key findings from State of Girl child 2012 report with a focus on education and would illuminate four significant monuments in New Delhi & Hyderabad on 11th October.

The event was powered by VH1 & Hindustan Times and was managed by Artist Aloud & Hungama Digital Services. The exclusive radio partner of the event was BIG FM. 

Plan India

Plan India is an Indian NGO working to improve the lives of disadvantaged children, their families and communities through an approach that puts children at the centre of community development. Since 1979, we have been working with our partners to help children access their rights to proper healthcare, basic education, and healthy environment, protection from abuse and exploitation and participation in decisions that affect their lives. We encourage children to express their views and be actively involved in improving their communities. Plan India currently works in 11 states in India, across 5000 communities and has touched the lives of over a million children.

Because I am a Girl Campaign (BIAAG)

“Because I am a Girl” is a global initiative launched by Plan to promote girl’s rights and lift millions of them out of poverty. It is geared towards equipping, enabling and engaging girls of all ages to acquire assets, skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in life. The Because I am a Girl campaign aims to reach out million girls directly, in terms of bringing about improvement in girls’ lives with access to school, skills, livelihood participation and protection.  

As part of the campaign, every year Plan releases research report on State of the Girl Child with a focused theme. In year 2009, 2010, 2011 the reports focused on the theme State of girl child in India, ‘Girls in a changing Landscape: Urban and Digital Frontiers’ and Engaging Men and Boys towards Gender Equality”.

This year report “Learning for Life” focuses on “Equipping, enabling and empowering girls of all ages to acquire the assets, skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in life.