The emphasis was on “freedom of choice” at Bermuda’s first International Day of the Girl event yesterday.

Females were invited to choose from multiple activities at the free event held at the National Stadium.

The day, first declared by the UN in 2012, aims to recognise and raise awareness of the unique challenges girls face globally.

Organiser Carolyn Thomas Ray said she hoped events like this would produce a “knock-on effect” impacting change worldwide.

She said: “People think that because we’re a small island we can’t do anything to help, but that’s absolutely not true. Girls here can effect change.”

The activities included archery, golf, rugby, robotics, football, cricket and obstacle courses.

Fiona Holmes, of the Bermuda Cricket Board, was there to promote the male-dominated sport with coaching and an information booth on the BCB’s girls’ cricket programme.

“Because cricket is not that popular with girls, we have a lot of opportunities,” she said.

Rose Simmons, 11, has been playing cricket for four years. “I love it and I think more girls should get involved,” she said.

Of the event, she said: “I think it’s great. It’s good for girls to come and do these sports.”

Kelli Nusum coaches a girls’ rugby programme for under-18s. A programme started in January 2015 in a bid to build the sport and give girls exposure to it in the United States.

“With 1.5 million rugby players registered in the US, it’s the fasted growing women’s sport in the country. It is also new for the Olympics in 2016,” Ms Nusum said.

She also said her initial involvement in rugby was great for her confidence.

“I started playing when I was 19. It was the first time I felt I genuinely belonged. I think all teenage girls should have the opportunity to feel that way.” Now 29, she has been playing rugby for ten years.

Young entrepreneur Ashley Stephens was there with her popular lemonade stand, Ashley’s Lemonade.

Her mother, Erlette Stephens, said: “In Bermuda, girls have the freedom to open up a business at a young age. Many other countries don’t have that. It seems so normal for us to have choices, but other countries don’t have that. We’re blessed to have the freedom of choice.”

Miss Stephens, 12, said of the event: “I think it’s a great opportunity for girls to experience new things and be open to their options — and know that they can do anything.”

While it was a girls-only event, fathers were encouraged to participate.

One father, Matt Lewis, brought his two daughters. He said the event “addressed an important need worldwide, but also in Bermuda.”

Mr Lewis added: “Glass ceilings abound everywhere. To highlight that is important.”

His two daughters attend Bermuda High School, who he said “do a good job of that”.

BHS teachers Stephanie Cordeiro and Shanna-Lee Kerr teach robotics in the after-school programme. Their booth, like their classes, was very popular with the attendees.

“The girls absolutely love them,” Ms Cordeiro said.

Ms Cordeiro and Ms Kerr use littleBits, electronic building blocks, which snap together with small magnets for prototyping and learning.

“It’s really empowering for girls to see it at hand and know that they can do ‘boy’ jobs,” she said.

Minister of Community, Culture and Sport, Patricia Gordon-Pamplin spoke at the event.

She said: “If the community comes together to better children’s lives then we are showing this generation of girls that their lives really matter.

“Globally, young girls face neglect, forced marriages, prostitution, abuse, poverty and lack of access to education among many other issues.

“Of the 1.4 billion people living in extreme poverty across the world 70 per cent are women and girls.

“Girls are also three times as likely as boys to be malnourished and, in the poorest countries of the world, close to 62 million girls are not attending either primary or secondary school.

“And sadly, there are still issues that our girls are faced with here in Bermuda when it comes to gender equality as well as the viciousness of child abuse and the toll it takes on our young girls.

“As a community we simply must do all that we can to provide support, protection and education. We want this generation of young girls to know that they can reach any goal that they set for themselves.

“We need to continue to provide opportunities for them to exercise leadership and nurture them to reach their full potential. Standing here at the National Sports Centre, I am reminded of the sad reality that women athletes and women sports in general do not enjoy the same level of international recognition fame or fortune that men’s sports do. We must try harder to change this and to ensure an equal opportunity for both boys and girls on and off the field.”

Ms Gordon-Pamplin told The Royal Gazette: “ I think it’s a good idea for young people to see what activities are available and also to be able to put that in the context of how other people live in the world.”

Ms Thomas Ray said that after this successful turnout, it will become an annual event with more sports and activities added next year.

One volunteer, Souad Brown, is from Morocco and married to a Bermudian. She said: “Girls in the west have more opportunities. Their parents support them.

“Where I’m from many children must help their parents and work at an early age.

“Girls in the west should appreciate what they have. They are lucky.”