East Africa, Africa
She's the First
"Let Girls Lead"

Joan Kembabazi is a 25-year-old feminist activist who champions an end to child marriage and girls' education in Uganda. Joan is the Founder and Team leader of Gufasha Girls Foundation and is currently a fellow in She’s the First’s Girl-Centered Incubator.

Africa, Asia, East Africa, Latin America, South Asia, West Africa
She's the First
The Girl Gazette is Here!

The latest edition of The Girl Gazette is here! This edition features a powerful poem about girls' leadership, an important essay about a patriarchal community, and artwork that encourages girls to end period stigma and feel good about their bodies.

The Girl Gazette shares girls' voices from around the world who work with our Partner Coalition organizations. Girls from She’s the First’s Partner Coalition express themselves through art, poetry, and essays about their experiences.

Asia, South East Asia
She's the First
Safiya Speaks Up! Makes Waves in Southeast Asia

Safiya Speaks Up!, the impactful children's book developed by five She’s the First Girl Activist Fellows, is making significant strides in Southeast Asia through the efforts of two of its passionate authors and advocates, Anya Legarda and Allison Choong. It was created to educate young girls about combatting sexual violence and using their voices. Since its digital publication last fall, mentors and parents have shared Safiya’s story with more than 3,000 girls across the globe.

Safiya Speaks Up! Makes Waves in Southeast Asia
Africa, Asia, East Africa, Latin America, South Asia, West Africa
She's the First
Hot Off the Presses: The Girl Gazette!

Check out the newest issue of The Girl Gazette: Volume 5, Issue 1 for Winter 2024! The Girl Gazette amplifies the voices of girls globally and empowers them through art, poetry, and more. We highlight girls around the globe who are a part of our Partner Coalition organizations.

Hot Off the Presses: The Girl Gazette!
Africa, East Africa
She's the First
A Youth Ambassador’s Reflections on the Girls ...

Youth Ambassador Gladys Njeri shares her experience participating in the Girls First Summit, She’s the First’s annual event that brings together organizations for knowledge-sharing and targeted training, with local and global insights on best practices for supporting girls’ rights.

A Youth Ambassador’s Reflections on the Girls First Summit

Like a Phoenix

Author: Melina S. Farahmand

Like a Phoenix, continue to
rise from beneath the ashes,
with the magic that lies within
and take that power to shatter
every glass ceiling and create healing
Within a nation that is too busy grieving instead of dreaming, we are pleading with you,
To rise into the fire filled sky
with your wings created by kings —
Rise like the Phoenix, trailblazer.

A girl with an education is unstoppable—but barriers like gender discrimination, poverty, and exploitation prevent many girls from reaching graduation. Our Youth Ambassadors created the Power of Poetry campaign to amplify girls' voices about this issue for Poetry Month and Global Action Week for Education.

Melina Farahmand is a 21-year-old author, activist, filmmaker, and storyteller from California, U.S. At twelve years of age, she founded Past Present Future Co., a news and media entity to educate, inspire, and cultivate a world in which women’s empowerment and sustainability issues are debated and discussed. Through a vibrant conversation of the relevant problems of the day, Melina believes people can bring about change in their communities.

The War Crime During War Time: Remembering the Stories of Filipina “Comfort Women”

The War Crime During War Time: Remembering the Stories of Filipina “Comfort Women”

The month of April memorializes sexual violence awareness month. For generations, women have heavily yet wholeheartedly shared the stories of their battles and redemption—empowering other girls to be unafraid to do the same. In the Philippines, a haunting history still lingers: the sexual enslavement of women during the occupation of the Japanese Imperial Army in World War II. 

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Cultural Heritage

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Author: Punya

The roots of Hinduism run deep 
 and strong, 
A heritage of centuries, 
         a tale so long. 
       From the banks of the Ganges to the southern seas, 
    The essence of Hinduism shines with a brilliant gleam.
       In the halls of temples and the offerings made,
   In the chant of the mantras and the puja parade, 
   In the colorful festivals and the sacred dances, 
   Lies the heart of Hinduism, its cultural prances.
The myths and legends, the stories so grand, 
   Of gods and goddesses, holy and bland.     

     From the mighty Vishnu to the fierce Kali,                   
    The stories of Hinduism are woven so lively.
The moral teachings, 
   the philosophy divine, In the scriptures of Hinduism, so sublime. 
     From the Vedas to the Bhagavad Gita,   The wisdom of Hinduism shines so brighter.
        The art and architecture, the music and song, 
     The rich cultural heritage of Hinduism belongs. 
    From the Ajanta caves to the sculptures of Khajuraho, 
   The beauty of Hinduism is on full display, don't you know?
    So let us cherish and preserve this rich tale, Of Hinduism's heritage, 
    beyond time and scale. 
  For it is a part of our identity and pride, 
    A cultural heritage that we should keep by our side.

A girl with an education is unstoppable—but barriers like gender discrimination, poverty, and exploitation prevent many girls from reaching graduation. Our Youth Ambassadors created the Power of Poetry campaign to amplify girls' voices about this issue for Poetry Month and Global Action Week for Education.

Punya is a 17-year-old teen from India who is keen and passionate about public speaking, writing and reading. She is a self-proclaimed "eco-freak" as well.

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Girls Speak Out about War in Ukraine: One Year of Standing Strong and Keeping Hope Alive

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Girls Speak Out about War in Ukraine: One Year of Standing Strong and Keeping Hope Alive

One year ago, on February 24th, peace in Ukraine shattered when shots rang through the air, missile strikes destroyed homes, and artillery fire turned villages into graveyards. Russia invaded Ukraine, bringing death and destruction to its neighboring country. The war in Ukraine has severely impacted human rights, ripping away girls’ basic right to safety. By talking to Ukrainian girls my age, I realize how important it is for the world to hear their powerful words.

Women, Life, Freedom. Quotes from Iranian Girls about the Revolution

Women, Life, Freedom. Quotes from Iranian Girls about the Revolution

Women, Life, Freedom. This powerful motto, shouted out by Iranian youth, became a symbol of unceasing protests in Iran. For decades, women in Iran have faced many discriminations in almost every area of their lives.

On September 16, 2022, Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old, was beaten and killed by morality police for allegedly breaking Iran’s strict dress code. Since then, women’s rights protests have erupted within Iran, calling for freedom, dignity, and reforms. 

The LGBTQ+ Community Has a Right to Safety

The LGBTQ+ Community Has a Right to Safety

Homophobia is a feminist issue. Homophobia and sexism feed into each other. Both forces maintain traditional gender roles and inequalities in our society. Without addressing and eventually eradicating homophobia, the feminist agenda can never be fully fulfilled. It is time to stand up to injustices and senseless impositions of historically patriarchal societies on those who fall outside of rigid norms.

Why Governments Need to Invest in Girls' Education Now

Why Governments Need to Invest in Girls' Education Now

The pandemic has created global barriers to education, from challenges like vaccine inequity, budget cuts, and the lack of safe infrastructure within the education system to socio-economic constraints and the rising rates of gender-based violence. Adolescent girls are more likely to be pulled from school during emergencies than boys, making girls more vulnerable to violence, exploitation, and harmful practices.

Coming Back to Life: How I Started to Emotionally Heal After A Sexual Assault

Coming Back to Life: How I Started to Emotionally Heal After A Sexual Assault

Editor’s Note: Trigger Warning: sexual assault and suicidal ideation. Olwethu wrote to us because she wanted to share her experience of healing after trauma. She hopes that by sharing her story, other survivors will no longer feel alone. If you have experienced sexual assault, there are resources to help you.