原味人文風情：

Being born a girl means clearing a lot of hurdles, and it begins right at the starting line. Sex-selective abortions are frequent in countries like India, where girls are often seen as a financial burden.Discrimination begins even before birth.

Before even getting close to adulthood, 700 million girls are forced to get married, often to much older men. Many women go through life without the right to control their own bodies or sexuality. Every year, 22 million women and girls put their health and lives at risk by having unsafe abortions. In some countries, like Senegal, they may end up in jail.

Many who make it to adulthood face entrenched discrimination that leads to violence. Way too often, home is not a safe haven, as women are beaten and abused by their own partners. In France, a woman dies of domestic violence every 2.7 days. Even the lucky ones can never stop fighting for equal pay, equal opportunities, and equal rights. Being born a girl means clearing a lot of hurdles.