Girls’ rights are human rights. Which means girls should be able to enjoy life to the same degree as anybody else. But being a girl means they probably won’t.  

Harmful gender norms remain strong in societies right across the world. Norms that lead to harassment, stigmitisation and discrimination. Norms which cement inequality and in their worst forms, perpetuate violence.  

Examples include beliefs that girls should do more household chores. Or that they are not worthy of an education. Or that they should be flattered by unwanted sexual attention. 

Often these beliefs are rooted in societies’ structures and laws, too. Some countries still have laws which restrict women inheriting property. Others’ laws seem to forget girls exist altogether, failing to protect them.  

Together these beliefs and structures place limits on what girls can do, the choices they can make and the opportunities they have. In short, they contribute to the violation of girls’ rights. 

Progress on girls’ rights is too slow and it’s under threat

We have made progress on girls’ rights but girls’ lives are still defined by inequality. Around the world, girls face daily discrimination and abuse, they struggle to access health services and information or quality education, while harassment and violence prevail.

In some places, hard-won rights are being reversed. In Afghanistan, the Taliban’s continued ban on girls’ education beyond the sixth grade has led to over 1.4 million girls being out of school. In Iraq, the age of marriage for girls has been lowered to nine years old. In Sudan, conflict has fuelled a rise in gender-based violence, compounding the already dire situation for girls.

Intersecting factors like poverty, ethnicity and disability magnify girls’ disadvantage. It’s worse for girls living in emergency settings which rob them of their homes and support systems.

Aid cuts dramatically worsen the situation for girls. Funders including governments are rolling back on previous commitments. Misinformation and disinformation seek to undermine efforts to create an equal world. Anti-rights groups and actors are often loud, well-funded and hold power. Making them a real threat to the lives and futures of girls in all their diversity around the world.

The first step to advancing girls' rights is to recognise girls as a unique demographic. This helps to identify what girls face and need across the world. 

Ensuring girls can play an active role in decision making is also key. Girls are not responsible for solving the challenges they face. But their perspective makes their input invaluable.   

Boosting girls' confidence to voice their opinions is also crucial. That's why we help girls learn about their rights and speak out on issues that matter to them.  

And providing more opportunities for girls to learn new skills also helps. It creates the entrepreneurs, innovators and leaders of tomorrow.  

All this helps equip girls to shape the world around them. And we stand with them. 

We help to remove barriers by ensuring systems and laws reflect girls' unique needs. And we facilitate difficult conversations to tackle harmful gender norms and stereotypes.  

Focusing on girls' rights helps create societies where all individuals can thrive.