President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on South Africans to protect, promote and respect the rights of girl children, as the world commemorates International Day of the Girl Child. 'On this day, we recognise the rights of girl children everywhere: their right to live, freedom and safety; their right to education and health care, their right to opportunity and above all, to be treated equally. 'Let us commit to protecting and nurturing our nation's girl children. Together, let us, as South Africans, be aware of the rights of the children, and to respect them, and to protect them, and above all, to honour them. Let us build a country where every girl child can fulfil her potential and realise her dreams,' President Ramaphosa said on Friday. He lamented that in many parts of the world, girl children are subjected to 'gender apartheid'. 'In many parts of the world, girls face a terrible plight. They are victims of conflict, human trafficking and sexual violence. In places like Afghanistan, girls face the worst form of gender apartheid. They are denied the rights to education, freedom, as well as even having a voice. 'In some parts of the world, young girls are taken out of school early to work inside and outside their home,' the President said. South Africa is committed to all global instruments aimed at the prosperity of girl children. 'South Africa is committed to upholding the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and all global instruments to advance the rights of women and girls. 'Gender equality is enshrined in our Constitution. We have progressive laws to advance the rights of girl children to ensure that they have opportunities and to protect them from abuse and exploitation. 'I call on all South Africans to be part of the global effort to protect an advance the rights of girls,' said the President. According to the United Nations (UN), International Day of the Girl Child 'focuses attention on the need to address the challenges girls face and to promote girls' empowerment and the fulfil ment of their human rights'. In December 2011, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 66/170 to declare 11 October as the International Day of the Girl Child. Source: South African Government News Agency