Presidential Documents

Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 199 / Tuesday, October 15, 2024 / Presidential Documents 83413 

Proclamation 10836 of October 10, 2024 

International Day of the Girl, 2024 

By the President of the United States of America 

A Proclamation 

Girls have the power to shake and shape our world. They will grow up 

to be doctors, CEOs, artists, entrepreneurs, tradeswomen, service members, 

scientists, or anything they put their minds to—leading our Nation to a 

bigger and brighter future. During International Day of the Girl, we honor 

the lives and contributions of girls worldwide, celebrate their limitless potential, and recommit to opening doors of opportunity so girls everywhere 

can realize their dreams. 

Girls play an invaluable role in the success of our communities. When 

young women and girls are afforded the same opportunities as young men 

and boys, we are all better off. Economies grow, education rates and health 

outcomes improve, and political instability and violence decline. Yet, 

throughout the world, girls continue to face persecution, violence, and intimidation, and they are barred from fully participating in their communities— 

socially, educationally, economically, and politically. 

That is why my Administration has taken steps to provide girls with the 

support they need to thrive, beginning in their homes and classrooms. My 

American Rescue Plan expanded the Child Tax Credit, which reduced child 

poverty to a historic low. The American Rescue Plan was also the largest 

one-time education investment ever in our Nation’s history, bringing more 

teachers, counselors, social workers, after-school and summer programs, and 

tutoring to public schools across the country. My Administration continues 

to call on the Congress to restore the expanded Child Tax Credit, guarantee 

affordable high quality child care from birth to kindergarten for 16 million 

children, and make universal, free preschool available to every four-yearold in America. These actions would lift girls across the country out of 

poverty and ensure they enter the classroom ready and excited to learn. 

In addition, my Administration made it easier for schools to leverage Medicaid to deliver mental health services to their students. We invested over 

$1.5 billion to strengthen the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, invest in 

school-based mental health services, and launched the National Mental 

Health Strategy, with ongoing investments to strengthen the mental health 

workforce, ensure mental health parity, and connect Americans to care. 

We remain dedicated to using every tool in our toolbox to empower girls 

both in and out of the classroom. 

We also remain committed to ensuring that girls can live free from violence, 

fear, and abuse. Last month, we marked the 30th anniversary of the Violence 

Against Women Act (VAWA), a bill I authored more than three decades 

ago. Since then, every time we have reauthorized this law, we have strengthened it. For example, we broadened the law’s protections to better address 

dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. We expanded services for our 

Nation’s most vulnerable populations and invested in prevention programs 

for young people. We provided more than $690 million in grants to over 

40 VAWA-funded programs in States and Tribal communities nationwide. 

Through VAWA and other laws like the Victims of Crime Act and the 

Family Violence Prevention and Services Act, we are working every day 

to empower girls and end gender-based violence. 


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83414 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 199 / Tuesday, October 15, 2024 / Presidential Documents 

Furthermore, we are aggressively combating the harmful effects that social 

media can have on our children. My White House Task Force to Address 

Online Harassment and Abuse worked directly with parents and teens to 

develop ways for children to stay safe online and prevent the misuse of 

technology that harms girls. We are also tackling the next frontier of genderbased violence and abuse: deepfake images and videos generated by artificial 

intelligence. My Administration also restored and strengthened vital protections under Title IX to help keep students and employees safe from sexual 

assault and harassment on campus. 

My Administration continues to stand with women and girls who are facing 

threats to their basic human rights in far too many conflicts around the 

world. We continue to condemn sexual violence committed by Russia’s 

forces against women and girls in Ukraine, and we condemn the terrorist 

group Hamas’ appalling, despicable acts of rape, mutilation, and other forms 

of sexual violence in Israel on October 7, 2023, and against hostages in 

captivity. In 2022, I signed a historic Presidential Memorandum to promote 

justice and accountability for acts of conflict-related sexual violence, and 

I have since announced dedicated sanctions and new initiatives to hold 

perpetrators accountable and support survivors. During this year’s NATO 

Summit, we revised the Women, Peace, and Security Policy to address 

emerging security threats that put girls at risk, including the climate crisis 

and conflict-related sexual violence. And we are committed to eliminating 

child, early, and forced marriage and ending female genital mutilation and 

cutting, which have lifelong consequences on the health and well-being 

of victims, families, and communities. 

Guided by the belief that our Nation and our world are at their best when 

there are endless possibilities for all women and girls, my Administration 

is devoted to helping girls reach their full potential. At the first Summit 

for Democracy, we established the Advancing Women’s and Girls’ Civic 

and Political Leadership Initiative to build and sustain girls’ participation 

in political and civic engagement. And this year, my Administration launched 

Women Leading Effective and Accountable Democracy in collaboration with 

international allies to advance women and girls’ leadership in democratic, 

peace, and security processes. And, thanks to the leadership of Vice President 

Harris, our Administration has galvanized more than $2.9 billion in investments to advance the economic status of women around the world, helping 

ensure girls will play a meaningful role in the industries of the future. 

When First Lady Jill Biden spoke at the White House’s first-ever celebration 

of Girls Leading Change last fall, she reminded the world about the power 

of girls. She said, ‘‘I hope you leave here knowing that your boldness 

is beautiful, that you belong in all places of power, that your future can 

be anything you want it to be, and that you will never be in this alone.’’ 

On this International Day of the Girl and every day, let us each commit 

to doing our part to create a brighter future worthy of the talents, aspirations, 

and dreams of all our girls. Because when girls do well, we all do well. 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States 

of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution 

and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 11, 2024, 

as International Day of the Girl. I call upon the people of the United 

States to observe this day with programs, ceremonies, and policies that 

advance equity and opportunity for girls everywhere. 


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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 199 / Tuesday, October 15, 2024 / Presidential Documents 83415 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this tenth day of 

October, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the 

Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fortyninth. 

[FR Doc. 2024–23964 

Filed 10–11–24; 2:00 pm] 

Billing code 3395–F4–P 


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