Prelims Current Affairs includes International Day Of The Girl Child , Womn – Women On The Move And Menstrual Needs Scheme, Maharashtra To Host Cybertech Asia 2027 In Mumbai, Trade And Development Report 2026, M51.3 Missile, Pieter Coetze Sets Men’s 50m Backstroke World Record & Navi Pillay Wins Nobel Peace Prize 2026

IMPORTANT DAYS

1. INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL CHILD

Current Context: International Day of the Girl Child is observed annually on 11 October to recognise girls’ rights and the unique challenges girls face around the world.

ABOUT INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL CHILD

• First Observed: 11 October 2012.
• Declared By: United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution, adopted on 19 December 2011.
• Purpose: To recognise girls’ rights, address gender-based discrimination and promote the empowerment of girls worldwide.
• 2026 Theme: “End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls’ Rights!” The theme calls for stronger action to end child marriage and increase investment in girls’ education, health, safety and opportunities.

STATES IN NEWS 

2. WOMN – WOMEN ON THE MOVE AND MENSTRUAL NEEDS SCHEME

Current Context: Kerala’s Women and Child Development Department launched the WOMN (Women on the Move & Menstrual Needs) initiative to improve access to menstrual hygiene products for women and girls during travel.

ABOUT THE SCHEME

• Main Objective: To provide affordable sanitary napkins at public places and enable hygienic disposal of used products.
• Implementing Department: Women and Child Development Department, Government of Kerala.
• Implementation Partner: HLL Lifecare Limited, a public-sector enterprise specialising in healthcare products and services.

Key Features:

• Vending Machines: Sanitary napkin vending machines will initially be installed at 14 KSRTC terminals/depots as a pilot project.
• Affordable Access: Each packet will contain three sanitary napkins priced at ₹10.
• Eco-Friendly Disposal: Incinerators will be installed alongside vending machines.
• Institutional Management: KSRTC will oversee vending machines and maintain the incinerators.
• HLL Support: HLL will supply sanitary napkins to KSRTC and provide staff training.

ECONOMY / SUMMITS

3. MAHARASHTRA TO HOST CYBERTECH ASIA 2027 IN MUMBAI

Current Context: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on 9 October 2026 that CyberTech Asia will be held in Mumbai for the first time in India.

ABOUT THE EVENT

• Event: CyberTech Asia Mumbai 2027.
• Dates: 17-18 March 2027.
• Venue: Jio World Convention Centre, Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), Mumbai.
• Organising Platform: CyberTech Global, an international conference and exhibition platform focused on cybersecurity and digital innovation.
• Significance: The event will mark CyberTech Asia’s first edition in India, bringing an international cybersecurity platform to Mumbai.
• CyberTech Global was established in 2014 and operates an international exhibition and conference platform focused on cybersecurity and digital innovation.

REPORTS / INDICES

4. TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT REPORT 2026

Current Context: UNCTAD released the Trade and Development Report 2026, which highlights India’s share in global greenfield investments and global trade trends.

ABOUT THE REPORT

• First launched: 1981.
• Issued by: UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
• The report analyses current economic trends and major policy issues of international concern.

KEY FINDINGS

• India’s share in global greenfield investments during 2020-25 was 7%, more than double China’s share (2.8%) during the same period.
• Global trade is projected to grow by 4% in 2026, slower than the previous year’s 4.4%.
• Global trade reached a record $35 trillion in 2025.
• Global economic growth will likely slow to 2.6% in 2026, down from 2.9% last year.
• Developing economies are projected to grow 4% this year, down from 4.7% in 2025.
• Asia is projected to contribute 59% of global growth in 2026.
• India is the fastest-growing major economy, with GDP projected to expand by 7.3% in 2026 and 6.8% in 2027.
• Strategic sectors grew from 16% to 44% of global greenfield investment from 2020 to 2025.
• AI infrastructure attracted the largest share at 12.4% of the $845.7 billion of overall global greenfield investment.

ABOUT UNCTAD

• UNCTAD stands for the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. It is the United Nations’ leading institution dealing with trade and development.
• Established: 1964 by the United Nations General Assembly.
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.

DEFENCE

5. M51.3 MISSILE

Current Context: France recently test-fired for the first time its new M51.3 nuclear-capable ballistic missile from a nuclear-powered submarine.

ABOUT M51.3 MISSILE

• It is a submarine-launched intercontinental ballistic missile developed by France.
• Built by: ArianeGroup.
• It is a further evolution of the M51 missile
• It is being considered as the primary weapon system for France’s next-generation SNLE 3G strategic nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, expected to replace the Le Triomphant-class after 2035.

KEY FEATURES

• Solid-propellant, three-stage launcher weighing over 50 metric tons and measuring 12 meters long.
• Equipped with new oceanic nuclear warheads (TNO-2).
• Public estimates for the wider M51 family put its range at around 9,000 km or more.
• For navigation, the missile uses Europe’s Galileo satellite navigation system.

SPORTS

6. PIETER COETZE SETS MEN’S 50M BACKSTROKE WORLD RECORD

Current Context: South African swimmer Pieter Coetze set a men’s 50m backstroke short-course world record of 22.09 seconds at a World Aquatics World Cup meet in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

ABOUT THE ACHIEVEMENT

• The 22-year-old lowered the previous record of 11 seconds, set by Russia’s Kliment Kolesnikov in 2022, by 0.02 seconds.
• It was Coetze’s first career world record.
• His 22.09-second swim also improved on his South African and African record of 22.51 seconds.
• Russia’s Egor Kornev finished second in 29 seconds, while Pavel Samusenko took third in 22.35 seconds.
• Coetze is a World and Commonwealth Games champion.

ABOUT SHORT-COURSE SWIMMING

• Short-course swimming takes place in a 25-metre pool, while long-course swimming takes place in a 50-metre pool.

AWARDS & HONOURS

7. NAVI PILLAY WINS NOBEL PEACE PRIZE 2026

Current Context: Navi Pillay, a South African jurist of Indian Tamil descent, was awarded the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts in the field of international law and peace.

ABOUT NAVI PILLAY

• Born: 23 September 1941 in Durban, South Africa.
• Education: Bachelor of Arts (1963) and Bachelor of Laws (1965) from the University of Natal; Doctor of Juridical Science from Harvard University (1988).
• 1995: Became the first Black woman appointed to South Africa’s High Court.
• 1995: Joined the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda as a judge, became president in 1999.
• 2003: Joined the International Criminal Court as a judge.
• 2008–2014: Served as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
• 2021–2025: Chaired the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
• 2026: Received the Nobel Peace Prize.

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