Since 2012, 11 October has been the International Day of the Girl. This day aims to highlight and address the needs and challenges that girls around the world face, while promoting girls' empowerment and the fulfillment of their basic rights.

The COVID-19 pandemic’s health impacts are well-known. What may be less obvious are its secondary impacts. Owing to movement restrictions and business closures, more people are out of work; this is especially hard on those who are already living in poverty.

Mahima, 13, lives in Moradabad, India. As COVID-19 rages, she – like most people –is worried about what the future holds. “The pandemic brought a lot of fear and pain to us,” she said. As a World Vision sponsored child, Mahima has one big advantage – knowledge.

Answering a distress call from a 13-year-old girl, Mousumi jumps into action. The young girl is in tears, having overheard her parents discussing a wedding – hers. She had been taken to another village in hopes of being quietly forced into marriage.

A teenager, dreamer and now youth mayor of her community -- meet Nahomy of Yamaranguila in western Honduras! At 13 years old, Nahomy was recently elected youth mayor of her community and has wasted no time tackling the issues on the ground.

Samira* was 14 years old when everything changed. From a simple and idyllic life in rural West Bengal, the young girl travelled to Mumbai to find work as a domestic helper and support her family. Her brother-in-law was supposed to find her a job, but he had other plans. Instead of finding work as a help, he sold Samira into the sex trade.