by Rushna, AGIP Girl Advisor 2023 – 2024
There is no greater pillar of stability than a strong, free and educated woman.” – Angelina Jolie
Girls’ education is significant because it brings forth progress that goes far beyond improving the literacy rates. When individual empowerment is recognised through education, the gradual progress of a country is visible.
The need for greater advocacy and action on children’s rights, especially on girls’ education remains relevant all year around. Here is a brief reflection from the Workshop I organised on the World’s Children Day just last year highlighting the experiencing of my peers coming together on our shared passion for girls’ education.
As the world leaders gear up for important global advocacy and policy spaces like the Summit of the Future and Beijing+30, I hope that voices, aspirations, priorities and leadership of adolescent girls will receive due attention and inclusion in these spaces.
World Children’s Day, celebrated each year on the 20th of November, is a momentous occasion advocating for the rights of every child. In 2023, I conducted workshop with (32) girls of Government School in my community to spotlight the topic of girls’ education.
I’m very passionate in advocating for girls’ education, especially for their inclusion in formal education. I have been advocating for this issue in Karachi and beyond through various activities and advocacy opportunities including with UNDP. The 2023 theme for World Children’s Day was clear and compelling: ‘For Every Child, Every Right.’
I designed the workshop with the intention of it being a beacon of hope and empowerment aiming to emphasize the importance of continuing education. The series of activities were designed to enable the participants to discover their strengths, identify the challenges they have overcome, and envision a future where education is a powerful catalyst for positive change. The first activity enabled participants to learn about girls’ right to education through presentation and discussion. We focused on Article 25 A of the constitution of Pakistan on Right to Education that guarantees free and compulsory education to all children of the age of five to sixteen years. Several activities ensured that participants were able to overcome the barriers in fully engaging with the workshop and collectively developed a collaborative and supportive environment for each other. Soon, there was a sense of camaraderie among the girls. We were able to create an environment where each girl felt valued and heard. Utilising the trust and comfort we built, I facilitated deep conversations with girl participants and using metaphors, they were able to express their dreams, ambitions around education and voice the barriers they faced in pursuing education.
The next part of the workshop focussed on identifying personal strengths through interactive exercises and develop the self-confidence of participants to collectively brainstorm practical actions. We discussed about role-models and realised identifying role models in our families and neighbourhoods was a specially significant moment in our reflective journey during the workshop. Participants identified such role models from close realities and were encouraged to draw inspiration from their journeys. The next set of activities were designed to build resilience through activities focusing on perseverance, adaptability, and inner strength. The participants passionately discussed strategies to overcome real life obstacles and created a conducive learning environment for each other.
The ultimate goal of workshop was to help my peers understand that education is the pathway to unlocking our full potential. As the workshop concluded, optimism and determination filled the air. The adolescent girls of Government Girls School in my community didn’t passively attend; in their words they, “experienced a transformative journey”. Exchanging several ideas on ways to face the world with confidence and resilience capacitated all of us with a newfound knowledge, inspiration, and a supportive peer network.
Celebrating the World Children’s Day with the wonderful girls at Government Girls School was not a one-day event: it was a promise to champion the rights of every adolescent girl, ensuring her voice is heard and dreams are supported. The ripple effect extends far beyond the classroom, shaping a future where education is the cornerstone of empowerment and positive change.