Today, the world marks the International Day of the Girl, celebrated annually on October 11. The commemorations come in the wake of rising cases of child marriage and gender-based violence as a devastating drought intensifies across the Horn of Africa threatening millions of lives, among them girls. Reuben Kyama spoke with Prof. Michael Mbizvo, Country Director of the Population Council Zambia and a Board Member at PMNCH, the world's largest alliance for women's, children's and adolescents' health. He began by highlighting the main issues affecting girls in Africa today.