A Child Protection Specialist of the United Nations Children Fund(UNICEF), Mrs. Emelia Allan, revealed this at a press conference in Accra yesterday, to highlight the International Day of the Girl Child slated for October 11.

The day focuses on promoting girls’ empowerment and highlighting the unique challenges they face around the world.

The theme for the celebration is: ‘The relevance data in tracking developmental progress’.

Mrs. Allan said the 2014 National Child Labour Report indicates that 20.8 per cent of girls between 5-17 years in Ghana, were in child labour and 47 per cent of these were girls.

She said there was gender equity in primary school enrolment, as girls dropped out of Junior High School at a faster rate than boys, while fewer girls than boys attended senior high school.

“Gender-based violence, both physical and sexual, is also widespread affecting more than 40 per cent of girls aged 15-19 years”, she stated.

Mrs. Allan said this year’s celebration focused on the importance of data in highlighting the challenges and opportunities faced by girls in their daily lives, as well as the need for a global girls data movement to address gaps in data collection, analysis, and dissemination.

Mrs. Cynthia Prah, Information Officer of the United Nations Information Centre Accra, urged the media to partner the centre to ensure the protection of children.

By Anita Nyarko-Yirenkyi