MONROVIA, LIBERIA-President George Weah has declared today Wednesday, October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child to be celebrated on Wednesday, October 4 as a working holiday throughout the country.

The proclamation calls on national and international organizations, as well as ministries and agencies concerned to join the Ministry of Gender to implement appropriate programs befitting the day.

According to a Foreign Ministry release issued recently, the Proclamation is in consonance with the Un General Assembly’s Resolution 66/170, adopted on December 19, 2011, declaring the 11^th of October each year as International Day of the Girl Child, in recognition of girls’ rights and unique challenges they face around the world.

It added that the day is also to acknowledge the importance of empowerment and investment in girls, which are critical for the eradication of poverty and breaking the cycle of discrimination and violence.