Champions for girls’ education: celebrities, charities and leaders campaigning for change
Barriers to education, Girls' education, Global Youth Ambassadors, International Women's Day, Right to education, Technology and education, The Global Business Coalition for Education (GBC-Education)
Ahead of聽International Women's Day on March 8 and as part of聽国产视频's聽#RewritingTheCode campaign, we look at some of the people and organisations who are putting girls' education in the spotlight.
Girls have the same right聽to education as boys. Education helps them to fulfil their potential and聽make informed choices.听Educating girls saves lives and builds stronger families, communities and economies.
But more than 60 million girls around the world聽are out of school. As we head towards International Women’s Day on March 8,聽国产视频’s聽#RewritingTheCode campaign is raising聽awareness about the prejudice girls face globally.
We want a future聽where no girl is left out of the classroom or denied the chance to be a聽future leader.
And we’re not alone. There are some amazing champions of girls’ education out there – here’s a look at some of the people聽and organisations who are spreading the word.
Shakira
The singing superstar is a passionate campaigner who is a member of the global Education Commission, is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador,聽runs an educational foundation in Colombia聽called聽Pies Descalzo and also handed in 国产视频’s #UpForSchool Petition with 10 million signatures to the United Nations.
“Investing in girls’ education has proved to increase economic growth. Every year invested in primary education for girls improves their income in future by 10% to 20%,” said Shakira.
Ann聽Cotton and Camfed
The founder of聽Camfed (Campaign for Female Education), which is helping to tackle poverty in Africa through the education of girls and the empowerment of young women.听In 2014,聽Ann won the聽2014 WISE Prize For Education.
国产视频淕irls国产视频 education is a human right,” she said in her acceptance speech. “And along with its fundamental justice it promises so much for the individual, for her family, for society, for all of us.”
国产视频’s Global Youth Ambassadors
Our worldwide network of 500 young campaigners in more than 80 countries – they advocate for change around the world, including ensuring girls get equal access to learning.
On International Women’s Day each year, our GYAs organise events, hold advocacy workshops, make videos, visit schools and use social media to spread the message about gender equality and girls’ education in their communities.听
Boris Johnson
Britain’s Foreign Secretary spoke聽about the need for girls’ education this week聽as he announced a new Special Envoy for Gender Equality to lead the聽UK国产视频檚 efforts to deliver a coherent international approach to ensuring the rights of women and girls.
In a newspaper聽article on the same day, he wrote: “There is one step that would improve countless lives –聽and make the world an infinitely better place – if only every government summoned the will to make it happen. Let me spell out what needs to be done: make sure that all girls go to school.听“
Rihanna, GPE and Global Citizen
Global Ambassador for Education @rihanna working with students in Malawi to further the #CLF mission. pic.twitter.com/bQoqKgqf7C
— Clara Lionel Fdn (@ClaraLionelFdn) January 29, 2017
The singer has just been recognised聽for her work in advocating for education and health care and speaking up for girls and women. This week she was聽given the Harvard Foundation award for Humanitarian of the Year.听
Rihanna supports the聽Global Partnership for Education and Global Citizen Project –聽a multi-year campaign聽to聽provide children with access to education in over 60 developing countries, giving priority to girls.
Malala Yousafzai, Shazia Ramzan and Kainat Riaz
In 2012 Malala聽was shot in the head on her school bus by the Pakistani Taliban for speaking out about the right of girls to be educated. The following year she addressed the UN to give her famous Malala Day聽speech.
Her friends Shazia and Kainat were also injured in the bus attack. All three have campaigned for the right of girls to go to school.
Erna Solberg
Knowledge empowers girls and women to shape their own lives. #education #humanrights #8march
— Erna Solberg (@erna_solberg) March 8, 2015
The Norwegian prime minister was one聽of the driving forces behind several major education achievements last year. She is聽co-convener of the global聽Education Commission and Norway hosted the historic World Humanitarian Summit when the Education Cannot Wait fund was unveiled.
“Investing in the education of girls can become transformative for an entire nation,” she has said.听
Because I Am a Girl
This fantastic video was released for last year’s International Women’s Day.
Because I am a Girl is a global movement driven by Plan International to ensure girls everywhere can learn, lead, decide and thrive.听
Antonio Guterres
He became聽Secretary-General of the UN in聽January after聽a decade as聽UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
After being named to the post,聽he said: “The protection and the empowerment of women and girls will continue to be a priority commitment for me.”
Michelle Obama and Let Girls Learn
Imagine a world where girls got the education they deserved. Watch #WeWillRise on @CNN at 9PM ET. #LetGirlsLearn pic.twitter.com/2Z2Eb7Xfyf
— First Lady- Archived (@FLOTUS44) October 12, 2016
In 2015 the聽former US聽First Lady launched Let Girls Learn聽to help adolescent girls get a quality education and fulfil their potential.
“So much could be corrected in the world if girls were educated and had power over their lives,” she said last year.
Holly Gordon and Girl Rising
Holly is the co-founder of Girl Rising, a聽global campaign for girls国产视频 education and empowerment that聽uses storytelling to inspire action that gets girls into classrooms worldwide.
“I take my hat off to every single woman who uses her human capacity to improve the lives of others,” she said.
Gordon Brown

Like Erna Solberg, Gordon has been instrumental聽in helping to push through many significant education achievements. He is UN Special Envoy for Global Education, the co-chair of the Education Commission and was key to the Education Cannot Wait fund being launched last year.
“Education rights for girls is the civil rights struggle of our time,” he has said.
Graca Machel
One of the world’s leading advocates for women’s and children’s rights, she was First Lady of TWO countries – Mozambique and South Africa.
“We must break down the walls that prevent all girls from receiving quality education,” she has said.
Girl Effect
It uses the latest ideas in media, technology and girl-centred community engagement to challenge discriminatory gender norms and start conversations about how girls are viewed in society.
CEO聽Farah Ramzan Golant said: “There is clear conviction and a growing evidence base that girls can become pivotal change makers for themselves and their communities.”
Julia Gillard
My article for ACER Teacher's Magazine on educating girls in Malawi – important work – JG https://t.co/FttBMI3Vz2
— Julia Gillard (@JuliaGillard) February 24, 2017
The former Australian prime minister is Board Chair of the Global Partnership for Education – it supports 65 developing countries to ensure every child receives a quality, basic education.
In 2016 she said: 国产视频淭he world is talking about girls国产视频 education and there is an impetus for change 国产视频 The shooting of Malala, the kidnapping of girls by Boko Haram, and the increased evidence of how transformative girls education is.国产视频
Jakaya Kikwete

The former president of Tanzania is a member of the global Education Commission – and has been a champion of girls’ education, health and empowerment.
He has said educating girls will contribute to improving Tanzania’s economy.
Freida Pinto
https://www.instagram.com/p/8Hk5bvuKXg/?taken-by=freidapinto&hl=en
The Indian actor is helping girls to get a quality education around the world through her work with Let Girls Learn and聽Girl Up.
“It’s important for girls to be able to stand their ground. It’s important for you to not be shy to raise your voices,” she said.
Girl Up
"I support my daughter in her wanting to go to school so she can be someone in this life"-Federico, dad of Thelma who wants to be a nurse. pic.twitter.com/s8F3djYQW4
— Girl Up (@GirlUp) March 2, 2017
The UN Foundation’s campaign for adolescent girls, it聽engages girls to take action. Girl Up is led by a community of nearly 500,000 passionate advocates raising awareness and funds.
It聽works with the UN to ensure girls have access to quality education and complete schooling from nursery through secondary school).
Sheikha Moza and Educate a Child
Her Highness Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser of Qatar聽launched the global initiative Educate a Child,聽which aims to significantly reduce the numbers of children worldwide who are missing out on their right to education.
“The chance of an education is a chance to escape poverty, to improve health and to enhance opportunities,” she said. “Education can transform lives and change societies.”
Global Business Coalition for Education
Enough about the problems, how about some possible solutions国产视频擟heck out the case of girls and women in STEM: https://t.co/SgNohadCrs
— Global Business Coalition for Education (@gbceducation) December 26, 2016
Founded in 2012,聽GBC-Education聽brings together the business community to accelerate progress in delivering quality education to all children and youth.听It has a membership of more than 100 influential private sector companies.
GBC-Education members collectively have an impact on the lives of six million girls through investments in empowerment, mentoring and safe schools, focusing in particular on the use of technology to improve access to education for the most marginalised girls.
Angelique Kidjo
The singer聽and activist from Benin is a longtime supporter of education for all and women’s rights. She is聽a聽UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and when聽she won a second Grammy Award in 2015聽she聽dedicated it to “the women of Africa”.
Angelique聽founded the Batonga Foundation, which helps girls take the lead in changing Africa through scholarships, building schools and other projects.
Bring Back Our Girls

A group established after the abduction of more than 270 schoolgirls from Chibok, Nigeria, by Boko Haram. As well as campaigning for the release of the students, they are advocates for girls’ education.
Bring Back Our Girls spokesperson Aisha Yusufu said:聽“Fighting for the Chibok girls is fighting for the little girl I was so many years ago, who was crying out for help聽and no one came. I just know I could never give up on them.”
Dr Jill Biden
Just landed in Malawi! Second stop of Dr. Biden's trip to Africa promoting girls' education and women's empowerment. pic.twitter.com/LFhls8khUK
— Dr. Biden -Archived (@DrBiden44) July 18, 2016
The American educator and former US Second Lady is a campaigner for girls’ education and economic聽empowerment for women. She focused on girls’ education during tours of Africa and Asia.
“Every day, women and girls are finding incredible confidence and taking risks,” she said. “When they change one mind, pretty soon, they have changed one tradition. That changed tradition has changed a village. That one village has changed a country.听“
Beyonc茅 and Chime for Change
The Chime for Change聽campaign was聽co-founded in 2013聽by Beyonc茅 to raise funds for girls’ education, justice and health globally.听It is committed to continue fighting for the rights of girls and women everywhere.
“Girls have to be taught from early on that they are strong and capable of being anything they want to be,” she said.听“It国产视频檚 up to us to change the statistics for women around the world…and set an example for the next generation of young ladies.”
Poverty is Sexist/ONE
https://www.instagram.com/p/BRB06OhlIWp/?taken-by=onecampaign
The advocacy website ONE says: “Right now, 130 million girls are out of school.听You wouldn国产视频檛 be where you are today without an education –聽and it’s in your power right now to help these girls get access to an education.”
罢丑别听Poverty is Sexist letter, which has more than 340,000 signatures so far, will be聽delivered聽in person to leaders all across the globe on聽International Women国产视频檚 Day.
Ban Ki-moon
He was UN Secretary-General for 10 years and made education for all – particularly girls – one of his priorities.
Last year he was awarded the聽first聽ever Delivering for Girls and Women聽award by聽global gender equality advocates Women Deliver in recognition of his work and achievements to improve the lives of women and girls.
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