By Florence Sidi, Programs Assistant

She’s the First champions for a world where every girl can choose her own future. For this reason, we team up with grassroots leaders to make sure girls everywhere are educated, respected, and heard. But how do we ensure that this mission truly reflects the voices and needs of girls globally? Enter the Girls Advisory Council (GAC), a dynamic group of girls whose insights inform our programs, campaigns, and policies.

What is the Girls Advisory Council?

The Girls Advisory Council comprises girls (ages 14-22) representing a cross-section of the girls we serve. We design Council meetings to be flexible, with online and offline options available to ensure every girl participates, regardless of time zone or access to technology. 

Over the years, the council has been instrumental in shaping our Strategic Plan by identifying focus areas and areas of growth when creating pathways for girls’ power within She’s the First. When we built our Feminist Mentorship Manual, the council helped us identify key characteristics of a mentor, why a girl needs to have a mentor, and the most important element of mentorship: trust. With regards to the “What Would You Do?” game, they were instrumental in providing us with diverse scenarios that young girls commonly encounter, particularly during their adolescent years.

Additionally, two council members sit on the Board of Directors and act as liaisons between the Board and the Girls Advisory Council. The senior girl board member assumes a pivotal role as a full voting director. This responsibility ensures that she has the power to influence organizational budgeting and make decisions regarding top-level strategies. The junior girl board member takes on a learning role for the first year and gradually progresses to the senior role. This year, our senior girl board member is Syeda Areesha Fatima, 20 years old, from Pakistan, and our junior girl board member is Sukeji Modi, 21 years old, from South Sudan.

The 2024 Cohort

This year, we are embarking on a journey to reimagine the Girls Advisory Council, making it even more inclusive and impactful. It's a platform for change, a network of young leaders, and a powerful forum for girls' voices everywhere. For these reasons, we are thrilled to announce 55 new She's the First Girls Advisory Council members from 20 different countries worldwide! These will include 40 new members for the English-speaking council and 15 members for the Spanish-speaking council.

The goals for this diverse group of girls involve actively co-shaping the organization, ranging from influencing programs and policies to serving as Girl Power ambassadors in their communities. Their participation extends to engaging in campaigns and advocacy efforts, undergoing leadership training, contributing to the design of practitioner training, and participating in discussions regarding how they can use The Global Girls’ Bill of Rights to advocate for change for girls in their communities. 

Choosing this new cohort wasn't easy. It was like trying to pick your favorite star in the sky. They all shone so bright! But based on their passion, creativity, and commitment to girl power, we finally handpicked an amazing group of girls who represent the girls we serve. We look forward to hearing their voices and witnessing the impact throughout this year!