Empowering Girls Today Will Shape Future Leaders, Change The World – Minister Gwarube

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube said that if girls receive proper support during their teenage years, they can change the world as empowered individuals today and as future workers, mothers, entrepreneurs, mentors, household heads and political leaders.

Speaking at the Commemoration of International Day of the Girl Child, held at the Development Bank of Southern Africa in Midrand over the weekend, the minister emphasized that honoring girls recognizes their importance, power, and potential, helping to fulfill their human rights.

Gwarube noted that the department aims to help create empowered girls who will grow up to be educated and skilled women.

"It is a well-documented fact that an educated and skilled woman is far more effective in preventing mortality, take care of the household decisively and more sophisticatedly, and contribute better in society," Gwarube said, SA News reported.

She added, "The International Day of the Girl Child focuses attention on the need to address the challenges girls face and to promote girls' empowerment and the fulfillment of their human rights. Adolescent girls have the right to a safe, educated, and healthy life, not only during these critical formative years but also as they mature into women."

The minister further said that investing in the potential of adolescent girls supports their rights today and ensures a more fair and successful future.

This future includes equal partnerships for half of humanity in addressing issues like climate change, political conflict, economic growth, disease prevention and global sustainability. She noted that girls are breaking through stereotypes and barriers including those affecting children with disabilities and those living in marginalized communities.

She highlighted that as entrepreneurs, innovators and leaders of global movements, girls are shaping a world that matters for themselves and future generations. Gwarube emphasized that achieving gender equality and empowering women is essential for all 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

The minister stressed that only by protecting the rights of women and girls across these goals can society achieve justice, inclusion, and sustainable economies for everyone, both now and in the future.

Gwarube explained that adolescence is a crucial time in everyone's development, shaping the direction of children's lives. She noted that supporting girls during this stage benefits everyone.

She emphasized that if girls are empowered during their formative years, they can grow into strong, wise women in the future. This empowerment is a win for society as a whole.