EDUCATION Secretary Leonor Briones encouraged communities and parents to keep supporting girls and young women.

She issued the call as DepEd, through the Bureau of Learning Services-Youth Formation Division, marked International Day of the Girl headed by Girls Congress.

The event was sponsored by the US Embassy in the Philippines with the Wesleyan University of the Philippines as its main partner.

“We have to encourage the parents, the communities to make the first move or support the first move of these girls because, by themselves, they cannot overcome these challenges when they are taking their first move,” Briones shared.

“We are encouraged by many examples of girls taking such first moves and we  continuously get inspiration from them to keep our girls motivated,” she added.

The DepEd chief suggested holding these webinars, discussions, and conversations in regions that have difficulty championing women’s rights.

For this year’s celebration, Girls Congress will facilitate virtual programs that will span six months leading up to the celebration of International Women’s Day in March 2022.