Inspiring girls, young women to lead
On Wednesday, we are celebrating International Women's Day, recognized by the United Nations as a time to highlight current issues affecting women and girls, progress that has been made towards equality and work that still needs to be done.
“When women succeed, the whole of society succeeds,” said Vice President Kamala Harris. We agree.
To further gender equality, the UN established the Commission on the Status of Women in 1946 to monitor and promote women's rights in all nations. The commission can press for international action to prevent or alleviate violations of women's rights. It meets annually at the UN in March, starting on International Women's Day, to review progress in each country and establish goals and strategies for the next year.
Simultaneously, thousands of leaders from nonprofit, humanitarian organizations attend to share programs, projects and lessons learned in their respective communities that meet local challenges.
As an urgent call to action, the UN set global goals on key issues, as well as specific targets and indicators, for all countries to make progress toward 2030.
No. 5 on the list of UN sustainable development goals is to achieve “gender equality and empower all women and girls.” The goal calls to end discrimination in its many forms and ensure girls and young women receive the education needed to be equal participants in society.
Unfortunately, young girls are still married off, unable to attend school and used as child labor in many countries. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has been outspoken on the importance of gender equality and made it a priority for his term.
One way to further progress is to mandate education and support for young women. Female education is considered one of the best long-term investments in a country's development, as the saying goes, “educate a woman, you educate a nation.” This can be fostered through mentoring, which provides one-on-one support to help develop personal and professional growth. It helps girls and young women to navigate challenges and find solutions.
The real work starts locally. The good news is that there are various organizations in Marin to support opportunities for girls, teens and young women to develop their voice. Here are a few:
• Girls Force Leadership empowers girls ages 6 to 10 to become tenacious and resilient leaders using role models and projects at enrichment programs, camps and events.
“Depression in girls is widespread,” founder Hilary McGinnis said. “Through a sense of sisterhood and community, girls develop the skills to navigate the difficult teenage years.”
• Girls Circle, by the One Circle Foundation, is a training for adults to facilitate ongoing meetings with girls 9 to 18 to create a sense of belonging. Through speaking and listening, girls learn to give voice to their thoughts and feelings. Topics include body image, friendship, social media and the decision-making process.
• Marin Teen Girls Conference,
a free annual event for girls from eighth to 12th grades, offers tools, resources and support to empower and inspire leadership in their lives and communities.
“Now, more than ever, teen girls need a voice and opportunity to gain confidence,” said Crystal Martinez, a conference volunteer.
The many topics include healthy relationships, consent culture, college readiness and resources for volunteering and internships.
• Pathways to Peace gives out annual Exceptional Women of Peace Award honors — one of which is designated for a young woman under 25 years old who lifts up work that is often unrecognized, yet important.
We believe that the way to increase leadership is to build a broad cohort of young women with motivation and confidence around the world. Coming into their own while being given skills and encouragement, they become more eager and ready to make a difference in society.
We must invest more directly in supporting girls and young women to achieve their potential. A healthy society lies in the hands of women who, alongside men, work to solve the many issues we face today.
We celebrate International Women's Day with this often-quoted statement of unknown origin: “Here's to strong women: May we know them. May we be them. May we raise them.”