LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles women are celebrating the 10th anniversary of International Day of the Girl.

The U.N. adopted Oct. 11 as a day to recognize girls' rights and the unique challenges girls face around the world.

UCLA senior Nishka Vipul helps women locally and around the world as a member of Girl Up, an organization founded by the U.N. Foundation that empowers youth around the world. Her interest in women’s rights started in India, where she was born and would read the newspaper with her grandfather.

“I didn’t really understand a lot of things because I was really young, but one thing that stood out to me was that almost every single day there would be some report of an assault, a rape case, like every single day,” Vipul said. “That, I think, really shocked me at a very, very young age.”

Vipul has now helped host a bake sale to raise money to end child marriage in India and start a therapy fund for women who have experienced sexual abuse. This year, she created a virtual EmpowHER program to increase local girls’ access to higher education. As she’s raised her voice for other girls, she’s been able to find her own voice.

“It’s not just me being a woman, but it’s me being a woman of color and me being an immigrant, and there’s so many different identities that intersect which pose unique different challenges,” Vipul said. “So irrespective, I feel women are empowered everywhere, and we need to speak out on their behalf.”

Women around the world have been speaking out for women’s rights. Most recent cries have been about abortion rights in the U.S. and the inequality of education for girls in Afghanistan.

LA-based women’s rights activist Dr. Nina Ansary has worked with the U.N. and explained that while progress has been made, more needs to be done for girls around the globe.

“It’s a fundamental human right for girls to be able to thrive, for girls to have access to equal opportunities, for girls to have access to equal rights, for girls to be living in a world where they have legal protection against such harmful practices,” she said. “But also the fact that when you invest in girls, you’re really investing in families, you’re investing in communities, and it’s important for sustainable growth.”

Vipul said she will use her study of psychology to help women who’ve been abused. She is committed to equality.

"I think it’s definitely a continued process and I will be fighting for it as long as I’m alive."

UNICEF will be celebrating International Day of the Girl by accepting donations to close the digital divide around the world.