International Day of the Girl emoji speaks volumes

Since 2012, Oct. 11 has marked International Day of the Girl — a day set aside each year to bring attention to and address the needs and challenges faced by girls worldwide.This year, Plan International Canada — which led the charge to have International Day of the Girl recognized — teamed up with Twitter and the United Nations launching a Day Of The Girl hashtag and emoji.WATCH: Raising a confident and empowered girl The emoji was designed by Meredith Lindsay, a local graphic designer out of Pointe-Claire.“I’ve been working with Plan on an ongoing basis on many different projects,” Lindsay told Global News. “Because of my passion for the cause, I was approached to design the emoji in consultation with Plan’s Youth Advisory Team.”READ MORE: Michelle Obama urges decision-makers to ‘make space in their offices’ for girls, women in Montreal speechLindsay explained the logo, a pink fist making a G shape for girl and extending from the universal sign for female, is representative of “the power, resilience, and potential of girls worldwide.”For Lindsay, it also symbolizes taking a stand.“The emoji is a symbol of a fist held up in a motion of defiance against inequality and solidarity alongside all those who stand up for girls’ rights,” she said.WATCH:  Two Girl Guides of Canada discuss the findings of a poll highlighting the major challenges facing teenage girls. In creating the #DayOfTheGirl emoji, Plan’s hope was to start a conversation.“Every day, girls around the world are denied equal opportunity to become leaders, to make decisions that affect their lives, to raise their voices and be heard,” said Plan president and CEO Caroline Riseboro in a written statement.“That is why it’s vital that we shine a light on these issues, whether in boardrooms, classrooms or on our Twitter timelines. Conversations on Twitter drive meaningful dialogue in the real world, and we hope this emoji will spark a much-needed discussion on girls’ rights in the leadup to International Day of the Girl.”