
Twenty girl advocates from our schools in Australia, India, Kenya and Nepal participated in two virtual events held in December in preparation for the 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69). The first event was the Beijing+30 Global Adolescent Girl Leadership Town Hall organized by UN Women. The second event was the Girls Statement Writing organized by the Working Group on Girls (WGG).
UN Women Beijing +30 Global Adolescent Girl Leadership Town Hall
Over 85 girl delegates gathered for the UN Women Town Hall, where they had the opportunity to share their experiences and aspirations for Beijing+30. This dynamic event fostered a powerful exchange of ideas and insights between the girl delegates, those who attended the landmark Beijing conference in 1995, representatives from Member States (CSW Bureau), UN Women, and other UN agencies.
The session was uniquely led by adolescent girls, with two of our own delegates – Ruby from Nepal and Latifah from Kenya – contributing to the planning of the event. The interactive format allowed girl delegates to actively engage by asking questions and sharing their personal recommendations. They were encouraged to introduce themselves and articulate their priorities for CSW69 and the future of Beijing+30.
The key recommendations from the discussions were compiled in the Beijing +30 Global Youth and Adolescents Recommendations. This impactful report that further amplifies the voices of the next generation in shaping global policy for gender equality can be accessed by clicking on the link below.
- Beijing +30 Global Youth and Adolescents Recommendations
- Beijing +30 Global Youth and Adolescents Priorities (Summary)
WGG Girls Statement Writing
The second virtual event was the Working Group on Girls (WGG) Girls Statement Writing Workshop, which saw active participation of over 60 girls. Three of our delegates – Ariana from Peru, Sneha from Nepal, and Njeri from Kenya – were selected to be part of the planning team that helped organize this important workshop.
The purpose of this workshop was to craft the Girls’ Oral Statement, which will be presented at CSW69. This girl-led statement highlights the critical issues girls face globally, while offering actionable recommendations for Member States to advance gender equality and uphold girls’ rights.
Delegates were divided into groups, each tasked with reviewing and developing different sections of the statement. Among the contributors, 15 IBVM/CJ girl delegates made valuable input to shape the final document. This collaborative effort underscores the power of girls’ voices in driving change and influencing global policy for gender equality.
The Girls called on Member States and governments to:
• Provide resources and monetary support to ensure girls’ access to education. Additionally, parental support to eliminate gender bias is necessary to achieve education equality.
• Invest in girls education through the building of infrastructure, incentivization of teachers, and the elimination of discriminatory social norms in rural areas.
• Create and fund environments that allow girls to pursue their desired job opportunities and skills.
• Fund and implement policies that: Offer programs, support groups, online resources, and safe spaces. Train teachers to prevent harassment and educate students about harmful stereotypes and online safety. Eliminate stereotypes in the media and protect online safety.