On September 21, 2024, in New York City, more than 50 young women from around the world—including the youngest Nobel Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai and representatives from four She’s the First programs!—gathered to take United Nations member states to task for failing to prioritize girls and young women in the planning and content of the Summit of the Future.
We, the undersigned girl-centered organizations, express our deep concern and condemnation regarding the alarming rise in femicides in Kenya. We stand in solidarity with our fellow women leaders in Kenya who are demanding that the President of Kenya declare femicide and violence against women and girls a national disaster. The government must take swift and decisive measures to protect lives and ensure justice for the victims.
The Small World is a not-for-profit charitable organization supporting locally-driven, sustainable community development projects. These projects provide not only education for children—especially young girls at risk from exploitation—but also remove traditional barriers to girls' education, create empowerment scenarios for local communities, and ultimately help to end deep-rooted cycles of poverty.
Mercy Nandutu is a nuclear engineer earning her second master’s degree—in fact, she’s the first person from her village in Uganda ever to become a nuclear engineer. “If that young girl from my past could witness my journey to becoming a nuclear engineer, she would undoubtedly feel an overwhelming sense of empowerment and possibility,” reflected Mercy. “Seeing my achievements, she would believe that she is capable of overcoming any obstacle and achieving her dreams. She would feel a sense of representation and validation in seeing someone like herself excel in the field.”
We, the undersigned girl-centered organizations, vehemently oppose the ongoing efforts to repeal the ban against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in The Gambia. FGM—the partial or total removal of external female genitalia for non-medical reasons—is a profoundly harmful practice that violates the rights and dignity of girls. It is a form of violence that often results in long-term physical and psychological consequences.
The Women’s (Amendment) Act of 2015 is a crucial legislation, protecting the rights and well-being of girls in The Gambia. Reversing this significant step forward in ensuring girls' safety and health would constitute a grave injustice and a regression in the fight for gender equality and human rights.
“I do the work because I grew up around a lot of suffering and injustice, and as the first girl child of my family, I want to show the rest of my community what is possible through education.” Wuday Jaiteh is a 22-year-old law student at the University of The Gambia, and a graduate of and mentor for our partner Starfish International. Get to know this powerhouse young woman through our Q&A!
From a remote Andean village to the graduation stage! Meet Yoselinda, a trailblazer in her family as she becomes the first to earn her high school diploma. In areas where high schools are sparse and resources are scarce, organizations like our Peruvian partner Sacred Valley Project bring solutions. We’re proud to support Yoselinda's journey through education and empowerment!
Ellas al Frente, a joint venture by She's the First and MAIA, hosted a transformative conference aimed at equipping grassroots leaders and girls with essential skills to champion girl-centered programs in the Northern Triangle region—the region's first girl-focused summit.
She's the First is proud to announce a transformative partnership with Kotex, a brand committed to breaking down barriers and championing girls’ progress. Kotex's dedication to breaking down period stigmas aligns perfectly with our vision to create a world where every girl can choose her own future. The generous grant from Kotex is a game-changer for She's the First.
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.
We, the undersigned girl-centered organizations, express our deep concern and condemnation regarding the alarming rise in femicides in Kenya. We stand in solidarity with our fellow women leaders in Kenya who are demanding that the President of Kenya declare femicide and violence against women and girls a national disaster. The government must take swift and decisive measures to protect lives and ensure justice for the victims.
She’s the First hosted the seventh iteration of the Virtual Girls First Summit in September, two months after the in-person summit in Nairobi. The Girls First Summit is an annual convening of girl-centered organizations for knowledge-sharing and targeted training, with local and global insights on best practices for supporting girls’ rights. The virtual summit brought together 90 practitioners from 11 countries, including Kenya, Tanzania, India, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Zambia, Ghana, and Malawi. The participants left with practical tools and unique strategies to increase girls’ agency.
Girl Activist Fellows from Kenya and the U.S. produced pop-up gallery shows with the theme “My Body, My Choice” for International Day of the Girl. Reproduce This! was a bi-continental art gallery experience produced by a team of girls, for girls. The fellows spent the last year in our program learning how to imagine, plan, and execute an activism campaign and these gallery shows were the result.
In Safiya Speaks Up, Safiya learns the difference between safe and unsafe touch and identifies three trustworthy adults in her life. The accompanying Mentor’s Guide provides additional information, context, and resources so that trusted adults can help girls understand Safiya’s story and how they can use the tools that Safiya used. This project was created, written, and illustrated by fellows between the ages of 15 and 21 across Malaysia, Kenya, the Philippines, and the United States.
“My key takeaway is legacy and the power of vision!” wrote Training Manager Emma Mogaka of her recent visit to our Ugandan partner Arlington Academy of Hope. Members of our programs team witnessed our partner’s work in action and led customized trainings in girl-centered design for the organization’s staff, as well as sexual and reproductive health and rights workshops for the girls.
