By Sugandha, girl advocate, India

This year’s International Day of the Girl Child (IDG) 2024 marked a pivotal moment, an opportunity to unite our energy for meaningful change for girls around the globe. To ensure our voices were heard, I co-created an Instagram account called Empower Her Everywhere—a platform dedicated to raising awareness about crucial issues and igniting action.

The mission of Empower Her Everywhere is both simple and profound: to amplify girls’ voices. This initiative goes beyond mere posting; it fosters essential conversations. Our content reflects the realities and daily experiences of girls worldwide.

This year, I also had the incredible honor of collaborating with the Working Group on Girls (WGG), where I led a social media campaign designed to broaden our reach. We aimed to inspire discussions not only about the challenges girls face but also about how they are triumphantly overcoming them. Through this partnership, I ensured that every girl’s story was given a chance to shine.

One of the most rewarding experiences was moderating Girls Speak Out, where girls took the stage to share their powerful personal narratives. These stories of resilience, defiance against societal norms, and challenges to oppressive systems created a ripple effect that inspired all who attended, reshaping the dialogue around girlhood and leadership.

Though IDG 2024 has passed, our mission is far from over. Empower Her Everywhere will continue to expand, advocating for lasting awareness and change. Girls deserve spaces where their voices are not just heard but celebrated. We are committed to building a world where “girl power” transcends a mere phrase and becomes an unstoppable force.

Are we finished? Not by a long shot. The journey continues, and the fight for every girl, everywhere, presses on.