UN Foundation Thanks MTV Networks for Celebrating International Women’s Day by Uniting Girls to Change the World

Elizabeth Gore, Executive Director, Global Partnerships of the United Nations Foundation, today praised MTV Networks for commemorating the 100th Anniversary of International Women’s Day by activating youth to build a better world through the Girl Up campaign (GirlUp.org). Yesterday, MTV Networks reached out to millions of fans of its global media brands including MTV, Nickelodeon, and VH1, using email, social media, and the MTV Act blog to encourage them to sign the Girl Up pledge to Unite for Girls.

“Working with MTV Networks provided a unique opportunity for the UN Foundation’s Girl Up campaign to reach millions of fans on International Women’s Day,” Gore said. “Today’s youth generation is the largest in history, and they are more educated, socially connected and empowered than ever before. Meeting them online with MTV Networks enabled us to build the network of American youth who are united to become a powerful force for change by supporting girls in the developing world.”

Judy McGrath, Chairman and CEO of MTV Networks, was one of the first Champions to join the UN Foundation’s Girl Up campaign (GirlUp.org), and MTV Networks is a campaign founding partner. McGrath and MTV Networks have helped bring awareness about adolescent girls in developing countries living in poverty and encourage American girls to advocate and help to transform these girls’ lives.

As part of the partnership, MTV Networks has worked with Girl Up online and on-air to highlight issues impacting the world’s girls and how Girl Up’s teen and tween supporters have engaged their peers to raise awareness and money for United Nations programs addressing the needs of adolescent girls in developing countries such as Ethiopia, Guatemala, Liberia, and Malawi. Campaign supporters are encouraged to give a “High Five” to girls in developing countries by donating $5 or more to provide girls with such basic needs as access to school supplies, clean water, life-saving health services, safety from violence and more.

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About Girl Up 
Girl Up, a campaign of the United Nations Foundation, gives American girls the opportunity to channel their energy and compassion to raise awareness and funds for programs of the United Nations that help some of the world’s hardest-to-reach adolescent girls. Through Girl Up’s support, girls have the opportunity to become educated, healthy, safe, counted and positioned to be the next generation of leaders. Campaign supporters are encouraged to give a “High Five” to girls in developing countries by donating $5 or more to provide girls with such basic needs as access to school supplies, clean water, life-saving health services, safety from violence and more. Founding campaign partners include MTV Networks, National Coalition of Girls’ Schools, 10×10: Educate Girls. Change the World, Global Business Coalition, Women’s National Basketball Association, Ivanka Trump Fine Jewelry, Girls Inc., and Camp Fire USA. Go to GirlUp.org to learn more.

About the United Nations Foundation 
The United Nations Foundation, a public charity, was created in 1998 with entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Turner’s historic $1 billion gift to support UN causes and activities.  We build and implement public/private partnerships to address the world’s most pressing problems, and work to broaden support for the UN through advocacy and public outreach.  Through our campaigns and partnerships, we connect people, ideas, and resources to help the UN solve global problems.  These campaigns focus on reducing child mortality, empowering women and girls, creating a new energy future, securing peace and human rights, and promoting technology innovation to improve health outcomes.  These solutions are helping the UN advance the eight global targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).  For more information, visit www.unfoundation.org.