The International Day of the Girl Child falls on 11 October and seeks to advance girls' rights, empowerment and equal opportunity while tackling the barriers they face. The 2026 theme is “End child marriage and invest in girls' rights!” The UN General Assembly (UNGA) created the day through a resolution adopted on 19 December 2011. Each year more than 12 million girls are married before adulthood, yet about 68 million child marriages have been averted over the last 25 years thanks to spending on girls' education, legal reforms and social protection.