October 7th
Day 7: Invest in Girls’ Leadership and Power
Sponsored by The Congregation of Our Lady of Charity and the Istituto Internazionale Maria Ausiliatrice (IIMA) Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco
Two International organizations -The Congregation of Our Lady of Charity and the Istituto Internazionale Maria Ausiliatrice (IIMA) Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco are co-sponsoring IDG Sponsorship Day October 7 ‘Investing in Girls’ Leadership and Power.’ As organizers our mission is that of ‘Investing in Girls’ Leadership and Power’ from the local area to the conference rooms of the United Nations. This is not a new mission but one that has been evolving over years of ministry shaped by the realization that today’s girls understand the issues impacting them, having both agency and voice to advocate for the realization of their own rights and the rights of mother earth. ‘Girls rights are human rights.’ The realization of these rights enhances not just girls themselves, but the global community and is a catapult for change for the wellbeing of people and planet.
We as organizations are promoting girls agency and activism at the United Nations empowering girls to take their seats during the sessions of the Human Rights Council in Geneva and in policy issues related to implementation the L Platform of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action during sessions of the Commission on the Status of Women. We focus on girls agency in implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development during sessions of the High Level Political Forum. These interventions are cumulative moments which emphatically demonstrate that ‘Girls Leadership and Power’ is essential for future wellbeing.
This poem is a submission from Athabile, reflecting on the the theme: “Innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls”
Behind the scenes girls meet, dialogue, evaluate and put forward recommendations driving change. We have seen girls leaders, icons embodying leadership and power, for example Malala and education, Gretta and Climate Change, and Autumn Peltier, who at age 13 was an advocate and Indigenous leader.
Our organizations honour this same spirit of boldness and courage in the girls we encounter in our ministries around the world.
Across Good Shepherd Asia Pacific, girls and boys will come together on 7 October for a regional celebration “ART4RIGHT” to express one’s rights through ART in various forms i.e. visual art, photography, music / songs, and short film. All submissions will be compiled into a digital portfolio for a collective voice from Asia Pacific to be on “Our Time is Now – Our Right, Our Future.” We will launch the E-book Digital Art Portfolio during our twitter hour on October 7 at 11.00 am EST.
The event is at 10.30 p.m EST on October 6th
Looking forward to meeting you on our X/Twitter hour beginning at 11.00 am EST on October 7
Resources you will find useful:
- A recent publication ‘How are the Girls’ highlights the aspiration and challenges that girls experience in their everyday lives. Do these voices reflect the aspirations and challenges of the girls you know?
- Here is the link to the ‘How are the Girls’ webpage
- Watch the short video below- girl voices 4 min. Girls share their suggestions to those working with them and to Government followed by telling us what dreams they hold for the future.
3. Examples of support and engagement from within the Human Rights Council in Geneva:
The girls call for
-
-
- investment in robust health systems supporting a family-centered model of healthcare and child health programs including emotional and psychological care.
- age-appropriate and culturally acceptable education about reproductive health and sexuality but also inviting family and the wider community to grasp how essential this education is for the well-being of girls
- Menstrual hygiene product to be freely available
- community-based programs designed to bring about more equitable gender norms and decrease tolerance of sexual violence and sexual abuse
- Infrastructural facilities in all educational institutions and connectivity at communal hot spots, such as recreational centers, tutoring centers, and parks frequented by vulnerable girls.
-
Today and every day as organizations invested in girls rights we endorse girls in their struggle for leadership and power. A new phase of this study will tackle the recommendations – starting with addressing the issue of connectivity locally, then moving to the provision of mental health services. Throughout we are dedicated to calling out violence and discrimination of every kind perpetrated against girls.
4. Listen to girls from last years IDG 2022 reflecting on their issues with technology – (30 minutes)
5. Hear Girls from CSW 67
6. Since 2012 we have had a position Paper on the Girl Child – updated in 2018 Position Papers to take account of the Sustainable Development Goals. In 2021 Good Shepherd Asia Pacific launched a research entitled ‘A Good Shepherd Practitioner Understanding of Girls Right Attainement – A Review of Rights Realisation by Girls in Asia Pacific. This research document should be considered a foundational document to be read in conjunction with the Position Paper on the Girl Child (page 8).
The event was live streamed on YouTube and contains an excellent insight into the contents of the research. The session was hosted and moderated by Girls from India and the Philippines and how skillfully they interviewed the authors of the research – Theresa Symons and Lily Gardener. Girls from Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Indonesia, Philippines and India shared their hopes and dreams for their further via video recordings.
7. Review links to the oral statements promoting girls’ rights delivered during the Human Rights Council Sessions:
