UN Women launched a year-long campaign in the context of the 20^th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995. The #Beijing20 campaign is running under the title: “Empowering Women – Empowering Humanity:  Picture It!” and features monthly mini-campaigns, each focusing on a subtheme of gender equality. They are now rolling out the third mini-campaign for August, focusing on girls and young women.                                                                                                                                                               The website is available in three languages by clicking on the required language    –  English     French     Spanish  You can access social media tools in the various languages by clicking here

Check it out – there is a lot of good information which could be used to lead discussion on girls and girls rights.   Nnenna Agba speaks for Nigerian girls.  Education is the key that opens doors to progress.  As I post this photograph telling us of Nigerian girls desire for education I am immediately thinking of the girls who have been kidnapped.  It is day 110 and on Facebook we are united with Rifkatu and this is her dress – Follow on Facebook   Each day a dress is made for a specific girl so as not to forget and to be in solidarity with all 273 girls.  Nnenna is the lucky one.  See her story on the website.

See how Malala spent her 17th birthday in Nigeria championing #BringBackOurGirls   Click here

Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin Executive Director of the UN Population Fund and Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka Executive Director of UN Women spoke out after 100 days.  Read the statement

And what about Palestinian girls and young women and what is happening in the Gaza.   While this infographic tells us of the benefits of education in reality a girls desire to be educated can be very threatening

The L Platform of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for action is entitled the ‘Girl Child.’  How are the rights of the Girl Child being upheld in your country and project?  Click here to read the 9 strategic objectives enunciated 20 years ago

Strategic objective L.4.     Eliminate discrimination against girls in education, skills development and training.  Millennium Development Goal 2 – Achieve Primary Education                                                                                      Proposed Sustainable Development Goal 4 – Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote life-long learning opportunities for all.

When will rhetoric end  and real political will for change begin?  What is the systemic cause for this  continued violence against girls?  Share your thoughts in the comment section.