Adolescet girls and their rights : expert group meeting Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 13-17 October 1997 report

Abstract

The Expert Group Meeting on "Adolescent Girls and their Rights" was organized in accordance with the provisions of the Beijing Platform for Action. The Platform underlines that "discrimination and neglect in childhood can initiate a lifelong downward spiral of deprivation and exclusion from the social mainstream" (paragraph 260). The Platform recommends that "initiatives be taken to prepare girls to participate actively, effectively and equally with boys at all levels of social, economic, political and cultural leadership" (paragraph 260). Governments and actors of civil society are called upon to eliminate all forms of discrimination against girls, inter alia, in the areas of education, skills development and training and health care. Furthermore, they are called upon to eliminate negative cultural attitudes and practices against girls, and protect their rights and increase awareness of girls' needs and potential.