Young leaders step into high profile roles for International Day of Girl
10 October 2023On International Day of the Girl, young leaders are stepping into high-profile roles to demand equality. Through the #GirlsTakeover initiative, girls are challenging stereotypes and advocating for change.
On October the 11th, girls across the nation will assume the roles of influential leaders, including mayors and ambassadors, demanding equality, freedom, and power for girls and young women in all their diversity. Over 1000 #GirlsTakeover events are taking place in more than 70 countries to mark International Day of the Girl.
Sangita, 20, from Bardiya, boldly declared, “It’s time to act! It’s time to end harmful traditional gender stereotypes that undervalue, undermine, and underestimate girls and young women. We need change, and we want it now.”
“It’s time to act! It’s time to end harmful traditional gender stereotypes that undervalue, undermine, and underestimate girls and young women. We need change, and we want it now.”
Sangita, 20, Bardiya
Leaders pledge support
Leaders such as the commissioners of the National Women Commission, the National Human Rights Commission, and ambassadors of Finland and Norway will be temporarily replaced, having committed to creating a safe space for girls and young women to be seen, heard, and valued as equals to boys and men.
This global #GirlsTakeover initiative is part of Plan International’s robust campaign, #GirlsGetEqual, which calls for increased investment in girls’ power, activism, and leadership. It is the world’s largest girl-led action for gender equality, mobilising youth activists from communities worldwide to challenge and disrupt the stereotypes that hold girls back.
A pledge for equality
Prasen Khati, director of influencing campaign and communication at Plan International Nepal, emphasised, “At this year’s Girls Takeover event, together we’re turning the world around by embracing and celebrating the diversity of girls and young women. We break down barriers, fuel their activism, and pave the way for a more equitable future where every girl can thrive and lead.”
Khati continued, “It’s about amplifying their voices, fostering inclusivity, and ensuring that the path to gender equality leaves no girl behind. It’s a testament to their resilience and our unwavering commitment to their cause.”
“At this year’s Girls Takeover event, together we’re turning the world around by embracing and celebrating the diversity of girls and young women. We break down barriers, fuel their activism, and pave the way for a more equitable future where every girl can thrive and lead.”
Prasen Khati, Influencing Campaign and Communications Director
Advocacy and legislative impact
Plan International Nepal, in partnership with Children as Zones of Peace-National Campaign (CZOP), will organise a workshop with Parliamentary Caucus on Child Rights, comprising parliamentarians representing major political parties. The workshop will focus on discussing the recommendations from the State of the World’s Girl research report, “Turning the World Around,” presented by Plan International. Girl activists from communities will join the parliamentary group to call for urgent investment in girls’ and young women’s power, voice, and leadership.
Challenging barriers to equality
Despite progress, gender equality remains elusive, with the current trajectory indicating it will take 131 years to achieve. The State of the World’s Girl report, “Turning the World Around,” highlights that 27% of survey respondents were discouraged from activism due to negative views expressed by community members, family, and friends. Additionally, 54% of adolescent girls and young women surveyed identified a lack of finances as the main barrier to engaging in activism.
During this year’s #GirlsTakeover, girls are demanding collective action from government, policymakers, community leaders, international non-governmental organisations, and institutions with the power to stand with them.
“As a girl from rural Nepal, taking over the role of the Finnish Embassy, I stand here today to amplify the voices of countless girls like me who dream of a future free from child, early, and forced marriage,” said Bimu, 16, from Jumla. “My call to action is simple: let us seek the support of powerholders, join hands, and work together to break the chains that bind our dreams. Together, we can create a world where every girl’s future is determined by her aspirations, not by outdated traditions.”
“As a girl from rural Nepal, taking over the role of the Finnish Embassy, I stand here today to amplify the voices of countless girls like me who dream of a future free from child, early, and forced marriage.”
Bimu, 16
Reshaping perceptions
The #GirlsTakeover initiative empowers girls and young women to defend their right to speak up, experience leadership in various positions, and challenge issues affecting them. Through this initiative, perceptions around what is possible for girls and young women are being reshaped, positioning them as decision-makers, leaders, and change-makers.
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