Investing in Adolescent Girls

One of the most influential figures in the world today is an adolescent girl.  Worldwide, there are 600 million girls growing up in developing countries, which reflect the largest generation of youth in history.  The choices this generation of young women makes will shape their lives and a whole new generation of boys and girls. 

Investing in an educated, healthy, skilled, and empowered girl today means she will have the tools to reinvest back into her family, her community, and our world.  

We know that we can’t improve the lives of girls alone.  We link people, capital, and ideas with the UN to help improve the lives of adolescent girls globally. From access to education and health care, to freedom from violence and HIV/AIDS, to delaying child marriage and early pregnancy, we work with the UN and NGO communities to tackle the complex issues and challenges that girls face today.
  
We believe that adolescent girls are critical to meeting the UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The well-being of adolescent girls is the key to eliminating poverty, achieving social justice, stabilizing the population, and preventing foreseeable humanitarian crises.

Since our founding 10 years ago, we have invested $43 million in support of girl programs and helped build a community of girl advocates and champions through our work on such key initiatives as the Coalition for Adolescent Girls and the UN Inter-Agency Task Force on Adolescent Girls. 

Our adolescent girl initatives: 

  • Raise awareness and advocate for policy change
  • Build communities of girl advocates and girl champions
  • Mobilize resources for successful interventions impacting adolescent girls

The lives of girls around the world don’t have to be left to chance.  Invest in an adolescent girl by donating to The Girl Fund.

STORIES OF IMPACT

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    Ending Fistula In This Generation

    Area of Involvement: Women & Population

    For 12 years, Sarah Omega Kidangasi suffered isolation and abandonment as a result of a debilitating childbirth injury.

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    How a $25 sheep can save a girl's life

    Area of Involvement: Women & Population

    Amhara’s child marriage rates are among the world’s highest.  A pilot program in Ethiopia is working to change that one girl at a time.

Read more stories »

RESOURCES

  1. Religion and America's Role in the World

    Issue Area: US-UN Relations

    Issue Area: Women & Population

    The UN Foundation and Religion & Ethics News Weekly Public supported public opinion research that examined the role that religion plays in shaping people’s views about America’s role in the world and foreign policy priorities. The report explores how religion impacts Americans’ views on whether the U.S. should take an interventionist or isolationist posture on such key issues as the war on terrorism, humanitarian disaster relief and women’s rights around the world.

  2. 10 Years of making a difference

    Issue Area: Children’s Health

    Issue Area: Climate & Energy

    Issue Area: Sustainable Development

    Issue Area: Technology

    Issue Area: US-UN Relations

    Issue Area: Women & Population

    10 year report on how the role of the UN Foundation has changed and developed.

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The Girl Fund

If you want to change the world, invest in an adolescent girl. There are more than 600 million adolescent girls living in developing countries today, the majority of whom live in very limited circumstances. The opportunities available to them will impact an entire generation of men and women. You can invest in the future today at www.thegirlfund.org.

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