Marco Rubio and Jeanne Shaheen Back 'Girls Count Act'

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., reached out across the aisle and teamed up with U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., to sponsor the Girls Count Act" on Thursday. The bill would carve out from current foreign aid programs to create birth registries in underdeveloped countries. The senators noted that 51 million children across the globe are not registered at birth, with most of them being girls.

Young boys and girls of all ages deserve to be properly recognized and identified. Failing to register children at birth leaves them vulnerable to human trafficking and exploitation, yet millions of children around the world continue to be denied this basic human right, said Rubio. While both boys and girls fail to receive proper identification in their countries, it is young women who are disproportionately affected. These young girls deserve to be recognized, and they deserve to be counted.

A nationally recognized proof of birth system is critical to establishing key documentation for a child, which ultimately ensures that child can go on to fully participate and contribute to society, added Rubio. The Girls Count Act will help pave the way for women to benefit from new opportunities previously denied to them, and is a strong step forward in the fight against human trafficking and forced labor.

Every day women and girls around the world fight to improve conditions for their families and communities, often in the face of gross injustices, Shaheen said. The world needs this generation and future generations of women and girls to be recognized and have the opportunity to thrive. The bipartisan Girls Count Act will safeguard the basic human rights of girls everywhere and help them attain the success they aspire to and deserve.