Investing in Adolescent Girls

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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 United Nations Adolescent Girls Task Force. In March 2010, the Task Force issued a UN Joint Statement on Adolescent Girls pledging to intensify the efforts to protect the rights of adolescent girls.

Our adolescent girl initiatives: 

• 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. That’s why the United Nations Foundation is launching the Girl Up campaign, which will harness the energy and enthusiasm of American girls as a powerful force for change for girls globally.  Powered by their ideas and activities, in partnership with the business, philanthropic, and non-profit communities, Girl Up will raise awareness and donations for programs to improve the lives of girls in the developing world.

Invest in an adolescent girl by donating today. Your investment supports proven programs in five areas that can have the greatest impact for girls: education, health services, safety, leadership, and data collection.