What Girls Want
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. The group is backed by an informal coalition of girl-centered non-profit organizations, institutions, networks, and funds who worked to synthesize the well-documented policy, programming, and resourcing demands of girls at www.whatgirlswant.com.
At a demonstration in front of the UN, surrounded by life-size cutouts of world leaders dressed ironically as youthful “girl experts”, the activists delivered a strong message: world leaders aren’t the experts on what girls want and need for their futures—girls are.
Thank you to Sania, Joan, Allison, Serena, Yezena, and Anoushka for representing girls all over the world who could not be present in New York City! You made them proud!
"I'm a girl activist from Penang, Malaysia. I’m here representing not only girls in Malaysia, or Southeast Asia, or the girls here, but also girls from all around the world to emphasize how girls are tired of being an afterthought for world leaders,” said Allison Choong, 20, an activist from Malaysia who is on our Girls Advisory Council and is an alumna of our Girl Activist Fellowship. “Every girl deserves the right to feel safe in their communities. And this starts by having them at the front of the conversation and decision-making.”
The event was about more than calling out a process failure. Girls from around the world – both in New York and online – are delivering a forward-looking call to action this week built around clear, actionable proposals. They expect government officials, UN institutions, philanthropists, and community leaders to step up and help shape a more equitable future.
Alongside fellow activists, Malala said:
“Even at 27, I know better than to assume I understand best what girls want. Everywhere I have traveled, girls are eager to tell me their vision for their futures. As adults, it is our job to listen to them, fund their work and follow their lead. The good news is that it is not too late for world leaders to do right by girls. They can start by prioritizing their demands in tomorrow’s final Summit of the Future deliberations and by investing resources to match their words in the months ahead.”
The girls’ demands are practical and universal, ranging from improving access to safe, quality education; eliminating gender-based violence; resourcing girls’ movements; and investing in solutions to combat climate change, among many others. The evidence is clear: investing in girls and young women and delivering on their rights has transformative impacts for economies, societies, and the environment, helping to advance the Sustainable Development Goals and building towards a brighter future that girls deserve.
Keep reading for girls’ speeches, social posts, and more!
Social Media Posts:
Speeches by Girls and Young Women in Our Programs:
