Girls Get Equal Power

At home, in communities, in the workplace and in parliament, decisions are made each day that affect the lives of millions of girls and young women. These decisions are made by people in power who rarely consider girls’ needs, interests or opinions. 

Girls and young women remain invisible and excluded from positions of power, leadership and decision-making processes.

Girls will have equal power when...

Girls and young women are equally represented in decision-making arenas and have the power to influence the crucial decisions affecting their lives. 

People often associate ‘power’ with strength, domination or with the ability to impose one’s will. But this is a limited view of power. A more complete definition of power is: the ability or capacity to effectively communicate an idea, influence people and take action. These types of power can be experienced individually or collectively.

Girls Get Equal Freedom

Girls’ face multiple challenges to their freedom every day. The freedom to move around their cities, town and villages safely. To live, socialise and grow up as they please. To speak out, build networks and take action for change without fear of discrimination and violence. 

Those in power continue to ignore girls’ and young women’s right to move and organise freely, as well as their value as activists and drivers of change.

Girls will have equal freedom when...

Young people have the freedom to move, to live and to speak up without threat of violence and harassment. Girls are free of gendered expectations that limit their freedom to succeed. 

Girls Get Equal Representation

The ways girls and young women are portrayed through the media, textbooks, in advertising, in films, music videos and even in the news affect how the world views and values girls - and how girls value themselves.

If girls’ and young women’s stories are not being told, or are being told by others in ways that reinforce negative gender stereotypes then society will continue to raise girls and young women in a way that devalues and disempowers them from the moment of their birth.

Girls will have equal representation when...

The world’s storytellers, educators, advertisers and marketers stop reinforcing damaging gender stereotypes through their communications and start working with girls and young women to share equal, fair and diverse stories of girls’ power.