Cooking a meal for your family shouldn't put you at risk of rape. Yet, collecting the wood or other cooking fuel essential for their survival, crisis-affected women and girls are forced to put their safety at risk on a daily basis.

We reflect with profound anger on the horrific violations that continue to be perpetrated every day against millions of women and girls in conflict-ridden places. But it's also a time when we take inspiration, encouragement and hope from the many courageous refugee women and girls.

International Day of the Girl is a day to recognize the rights of girls and to reflect on the unique hardships many of them face. It's also a day to honor their resilience and their capacity -- if given the right opportunities -- to make meaningful contributions to their communities.

Reproductive health care and women's empowerment go hand in hand. Sometimes, especially in remote settings, access to reproductive health care is also a question of life and death.