A decade ago 11 October has been marked as the International Day of the Girl and worldwide this day is observed to try and empower girls and rectify their status as equal to boys. In many countries girls’ rights are unrecognised or under threat.
The purpose of the CFA Society South Africa’s specific shadow initiative is to create awareness of the investment industry among girl learners in order for them to develop a broad understanding of:
- the existence of the industry;
- how it broadly fits into the economy;
- what possible career options are within the industry; and
- what university subjects would position the learners to enter the industry.
According to www.gov.za 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 fulfilment of their human rights. The website states:
“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. If effectively supported during the adolescent years, girls have the potential to change the world – both as the empowered girls of today and as tomorrow’s workers, mothers, entrepreneurs, mentors, household heads, and political leaders. An investment in realising the power of adolescent girls upholds their rights today and promises a more equitable and prosperous future, one in which half of humanity is an equal partner in solving the problems of climate change, political conflict, economic growth, disease prevention, and global sustainability.”
Delphine and her team believe that this year’s in-person programme will have a profound impact on young girls’ ability to visualise investment as a career.
