WASHINGTON ā Because I Am a Girl is a global movement to advance girlsā safety, education and freedom to shape their own futures. It unites people everywhere to challenge barriers that hold girls back and to support girls in learning, leading and making decisions for themselves.
Because I Am a Girl is rooted in a simple principle: Every girl deserves the right, opportunity and freedom to determine her own future. But for millions of girls, discrimination, violence and unequal opportunities continue to limit their choices. Around the world, climate-fueled disasters, armed conflict, displacement and online threats are putting hard-won progress at risk.
Because I Am a Girl focuses on three interconnected priorities: safety, education and the future:
Safety: Every girl deserves to live without fear
Girls cannot shape their own lives unless theyāre safe. Their safety depends on protection from physical and sexual violence, harassment, exploitation and discrimination ā at home, in school, online and in their communities.
Conflict, displacement and climate emergencies can intensify these threats, leaving girls particularly vulnerable when essential services and protections break down. āDuring and after a flood,ā as a 15-year-old girl in Senegal explained, āthe specific needs of girls remain invisible in the face of the emergency.ā
Girls also face escalating risks online. Our 2026 national survey of U.S. adolescents found that only 14% trust social media companies to take sexual harassment and assault seriously. Girls deserve safety without having to sacrifice their freedom, ambitions or voices.
Education: Every girl deserves the opportunity to learn
Education gives girls the knowledge, confidence and opportunities to shape their lives. It strengthens their ability to make informed decisions, protect their rights, pursue economic independence and participate in their communities.
The benefits of consistently attending school extend beyond academics. As one 17-year-old girl in Kenya told us, āGirls in schools are taught their rights, against early marriage, taught how to protect themselves. … Girls who are not in school miss out [on] such important information on protection.ā
Yet an estimated 133 million girls worldwide remain out of school. Poverty, child marriage, discrimination, conflict and climate emergencies continue to disrupt girlsā education and threaten their futures. Shame, stigma and poor access to sanitation also keep many girls out of school when they start their periods.
Keeping girls in school means more than opening classroom doors. It requires safe learning environments, supportive families and communities, and sustained efforts to tackle the pressures, crises and gaps that force girls to abandon their education.
The future: Every girl deserves to choose her own path
Girls should have the freedom and opportunity to make decisions about their lives and lead positive change in their communities.
That means challenging discriminatory laws and norms that constrain their choices and opportunities ā such as those limiting girlsā rights to own property or burdening them with household chores and caregiving rather than letting them prioritize their studies. It also means expanding their paths to leadership, employment and entrepreneurship.
Girls themselves are demanding these opportunities. āGirls have to live their lives the way they want to, not because someone wants them to live a certain way,ā as one 18-year-old from Brazil told us.
Her message speaks to the central purpose of the Because I Am a Girl movement: Girls must have a meaningful voice in decisions that affect their lives and the power to pursue the futures they want.
Why these three priorities belong together
Safety, education and opportunity reinforce one another. When girls are safe, theyāre better able to stay in school. Education expands their choices and opportunities. Economic independence, supportive communities and laws that uphold equality expand their freedom and strengthen their security.
Progress in one area drives progress in the others. Lasting change requires and advances all three ā with girls themselves helping to shape solutions.
Building forward
Originally launched as a global campaign, Because I Am a Girl helped more than 4 million girls worldwide and drove legal and policy changes affecting girls in 17 countries.
After ending the campaign in 2018, we relaunched it on Oct. 11, 2026, the International Day of the Girl, to protect and build on hard-fought gains. Explore the history of Because I Am a Girl.
Everyone has a role in creating a world in which girls are safe, educated and free to shape their futures.
Start by listening to girls and taking their concerns seriously. Challenge discrimination and harmful gender stereotypes, laws and norms. Support policies, programs and communities that protect girls from violence, keep them in school and open pathways to leadership and economic independence.
Above all, ensure girls are heard and included in decisions affecting their lives. When girls have the freedom to learn, lead and fulfill their ambitions, the benefits extend far beyond individuals ā they help build robust, resilient families, communities and societies.
