In 2010, I was an incredibly shy high school student who had a strong interest in women’s and girls’ rights issues. But being only 16, I had no idea what to do with my interest. I had been attending the UN Commission on the Status of Women for the past three years, but beyond the two week conference I was not sure what I could do as a teenager. I never thought anyone actually wanted to hear from a young person and felt I had nothing to contribute. That’s when a member of the WGG reached out to me and asked if I would like to apply to become a girl advocate. I loved the idea, as it was a way to actively use my interest in girls’ rights issues. Girl advocates gain an in depth understanding of the issues and topics that affect girls and their communities around the world and help plan advocacy events for the UN community while trying to work to “make girls visible” within the UN System. I began to see that not only did people want to hear from young people, they also respected what they said, because young people are the experts of their own lives. Now, two years later, I am going off to university more confident in my knowledge of issues and topics affecting girls all over the world and with the understanding of what I want to study and do in the future. As a last project before going off to school, I’ve put together this tool kit for the Day of the Girl, so I can share what I’ve learned – because educated girls are healthier, stronger, and more powerful and are the key to change in this world we live in.

- Caroline Christie WGG Girl Advocate

Download the Tool Kit: Day of the Girl