Santo Domingo.- UNICEF called to recognize, protect yfstrengthen leadership of girls in the Dominican Republicunderlining the need to guarantee their emotional well-being and their right to grow up free of violence and discrimination.
Under the global motto “The girl that I am, the change that I lead”, the UNICEF representative in the country, Anyoli Sanabriareaffirmed the organization’s commitment to the rights of girls and adolescents, especially in contexts marked by gender inequality and structural violence.
“Girls have the right to grow up without fear, to study without violence and to dream without limits. Listening to their voice and accompanying their leadership is essential to building a more just and resilient future.”said Sanabria.
Violence and inequality: an invisible burden on girls
Although Dominican girls have higher school attendance and completion rates than boys, they face multiple structural barriers that affect their comprehensive development and mental health. These include teenage pregnancies, early unions, the overload of unpaid domestic tasks and high levels of physical, emotional and sexual violence.
According to the report of UNICEF on the State of the Situation of the Rights of Children and Adolescents in Dominican Republic: 76% of adolescent girls 15 to 17 years have been a victim of some type of violence, 52.2% reports having suffered sexual violence and in school spaces, the 45.5% have experienced physical or psychological attacks.
These figures reveal an alarming and normalized reality, where violence not only impacts girls’ present, but also their future opportunities and emotional stability.
“Each girl faces a double burden: that of surviving violence and constantly proving her worth. Your physical and emotional integrity, and your leadership, go hand in hand“added Sanabria.
UNICEF urges authorities, communities and families to create safe, empathetic and participatory environments where girls can express themselves freely, make decisions about their lives and exercise leadership roles from an early age.
The organization also calls for investing in health services mental health sensitive to the needs of girls and teenagersand strengthen policies public authorities that combat gender violence in all its shapes.
“Investing in girls is betting on a more equitable, resilient and prosperous country. They are not only the future, they are also the present of the social change that we need.”Sanabria concluded.
