“Every girl, no matter where she is born, deserves to dream. You can make her dreams a reality”
This is the headline that leads the Girl Up initiative. The UN foundation, is the leading global community of advocates, that seek to change policy and raise funds to make sure that assistance is reaching women in places “where it is hardest to be a girl.”
The organisation, comprised of 5,000 teenage girls across 66 countries, raises money to support education for girls who would otherwise go without.
At present moment, there are over 62 million girls who struggle to have access to an education – through either a lack of funds or the legal documentation to do so.
This staggering statistic is cause for concern due to the sheer numbers of girls, who will turn into women – without the means to pursue an education. This has serious ramifications for perpetuating the cycle of poverty.
Girl Up acts on a different platform to most other UN-based organisations. By placing teenage girls in positions of influence and power, the organisation acknowledges the need to have direct access to the girls they are empowering – as well as an insight into the most effective means of enacting change.
Whilst education is a huge goal of the organisation, Girl Up also acts to ensure girls have access to proper health care, are safe in their homes and are properly documented to ensure they have access to their basic human rights.
The organisation also works hard to influence governmental policy and legislation to ensure a bright future for the women of the world – helping to build a generation of female leaders.
