In support of

Because I am a Girl

Presentation: The GIRL ISSUE

The GIRL ISSUE is real, and it’s affecting girls and women around the world – but what is

it?

The

The Girl Effect, courtesy of The Nike Foundation

The POWER and PLIGHT of GIRLS

There’s an urgent need to stand up for the rights of millions of girls around the world who face barriers to survival and development, simply because they’re

girls.

“I never understand why boys and girls are not equal to each other. In rural areas elders think

that girls are born to give birth and to marry and for cleaning the house. Girls who live in

rural areas…are not sent to school. Their parents are not aware of the changing world yet.”

- Girl, 15, Turkey Because I am a Girl: State of the World’s Girls Report (2007)

Plan’s Because I am a Girl Reports

The State of the World’s Girls is a nine part series examining the development of girls around

the world. Over time, these reports will build a picture of how gender affects the lives of

girls around the world.

The PLIGHT of GIRLS

Discrimination against young girls and women remains deeply entrenched and widely tolerated around the world.

Seventy percent of the 1.5 billion people living on $1.25 a day or less are female.

Time Girl NOT in School Girl in School Boy in School 6 AM Rises, bathes, prays

Sweeps compound, fetches water, washes dishes7 AM Rises, bathes, prays, revises

lessons9 AM Cooks lunch Goes to School

9:30 AM Takes lunch to mother on the farm, works on farm

In school

2 PM Working on farm School day ends, lunch in school, extra studies

School day ends, lunch in school, plays football

6 PM Working on farm Takes food to mother on farm, helps her

Fetches water, bathes

7 PM Returns home, cooks dinner Cooks dinner, bathes study/ play

8 PM Dinner, washes dishes Dinner, washes dishes

8- 11 PM Various (rests, plays, talks to friends, more housework)

Goes to teacher for extra studies

12 AM Goes to sleep

Daily timetable from Gambia, Because I am a Girl :The State of the World’s Girls Report (2007)

The POWER of GIRLS

Despite the obstacles girls face, they have a unique power to uplift not only themselves, but everyone around them.

“When girls reach their full potential, through improved status, better health care,

and education, it is the most effective development tool for society as a whole. As a

country’s primary enrolment rate for girls increases, so too does its gross domestic product per capita.”

- Kofi Annan, former United Nations Secretary General

The PLAN for GIRLS

• Nutrition • Clean water • Heath centres• Food security • Girl scholarships • School construction • Training opportunities • Business skills education • Entrepreneurial initiatives • Birth certificate registration

The PLAN for GIRLS: Water & Sanitation

A clean supply of water ensures health and hygiene.

A source of safe water close to home means girls can go to school instead of spending their time travelling to collect clean water.

“Progress in child health is unlikely to be sustained if one third of the developing world’s children remain without access to clean drinking water and

half of them are without adequate sanitary facilities.” UN Plan of Action from the World Declaration on Children

The PLAN for GIRLS: Maternal & Child Health

Provides nourishment and care for expectant mothers, and children with limited access to food and health care.

The PLAN for GIRLS: Education Many girls stay home while their brothers go to school.

Send girls to school and see their futures improve as they learn valuable skills, delay marriage and pregnancy.

“There is no tool for development more effective than the education of girls. If we are to succeed in our efforts to build a more healthy, peaceful and

equitable world, the classrooms of the world have to be full of girls as well as boys.”

Kofi Annan, former United Nations Secretary General

The PLAN for GIRLS: Microfinance

Young women will use these skills to earn higher wages to help their families and improve their communities in order to lift themselves out of poverty.

International Day of the GirlHow can a single ‘Day’ change all of this?

The United Nations has declared October 11th the International Day of the Girl Child.

This day will create an opportunity to advocate and recognize girls’ rights globally.

YOU can Help! Join the movement

Visit our website to learn all the fun and exciting ways YOU can get involved in spreading the word and standing up for girls’ rights!

www.becauseiamagirl.ca

Join the conversation on social media and share your thoughts!

Facebook: Because I am a Girl CanadaTwitter: @biaagcanadaYouTube: BecauseIamaGirlCANBlog: blog.becauseiamagirl.ca

“All women were once girls, but not all girls will live to become women.”

Powerful words from Saba, a member of the Because I am a Girl Speaker’s Bureau, who shared this thought with a room of diplomats at the United Nations, shortly before October 11th was declared International Day of the Girl