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Take a Girl Child to Work Day is an annual corporate social investment event, held in South Africa since 2003. Companies involved organise for female learners (school pupils), usually from disadvantaged backgrounds, to spend the day at their place of work on the last Thursday of May. The initiative is organised by Cell C, a cellular service provider, and endorsed by the South African Department of Education.〔"The Department of Education is proud to endorse this inspirational programme and encourages national participation from all stakeholders and role-players." Hindle (2007), ''Letter to Jeffrey Hedberg''〕 It has been called South Africa's "largest collaborative act of volunteerism".〔Accenture, ''"Inclusion and Diversity: Programs'', cites "The Encyclopaedia of Brands and Branding in South Africa in collaboration with The Sunday Times" for this quote.〕 == Rationale and goals == Despite advances in legislation, the majority of women in South Africa still suffer from gender inequality as they lack the skills to make them economically independent.〔Cell C (2008). ''Take a Girl Child to Work Day handbook'', p. 2〕 Women remain under-represented in the formal economy, and more so in corporate leadership positions.〔〔Forty percent of employed women between 15 and 65 in South Africa are in unskilled occupations. Budlender (2002). ''Women and men in South Africa: Five years on''〕 This is because there are career opportunities that were previously not accessible to women, and other opportunities that individual women may not be aware of.〔Take a Girl Child to Work Day microsite (2009). ''Overview''〕 Additionally, there are challenges and constraints faced by female South African children:〔 * teenage pregnancies leading to school dropouts (statistics show that four out of ten girls become pregnant at least once before the age 20) * HIV/AIDS and child-headed families * high levels of sexual abuse, rape and violence against women and girls * under-representation within the corporate world Thus, the goal of the ''Take a Girl Child to Work Day'' initiative is to "deepen the thinking of the girl child with regard to their infinite roles in society, enhance her self-esteem, inspire and motivate her to reach her full potential and through exposure to diverse careers and positive role models assist her to prepare for the world of work".〔Take a Girl Child to Work Day microsite (2007?). ''Overview''〕 Additionally, Cell C believes that the impact will be far-reaching, as "benefits will be shared as she pass() them onto her children, her community and her country".〔Quoting Zeona Motshabi, Cell C Chief Corporate Officer. Take a Girl Child to Work Day microsite (2009). ''Overview''〕 Each year there is a theme for participants to focus on. For example, in 2009 the theme was "Change your world", a challenge for participants to be self-empowered and "Be the agent of the change () want to see in () world", taken from the quote by Mahatma Gandhi.〔Take a Girl Child to Work Day website (2009). ''Message from CEO''〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Take a Girl Child to Work Day」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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