15 Women Leading the Way

15 Women Leading the Way March 8, 2015

It is International Women’s Day, and we saw this set of images of what women are doing in the world and then saw this story:

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In celebration of International Women’s Day, we’re honoring 15 women who are using their voices, leadership and influence to make progress for girls’ education globally.

Across the globe, about 31 million girls of primary school age are not in school. And in Sub-Saharan Africa, it’s estimated that if current trends continue that it won’t be until 2086 when all girls will be completing primary school.

In celebration of International Women’s Day, we’re honoring 15 women who are using their voices, leadership and influence to make progress for girls’ education globally.  This is by no means an exhaustive list – just a few out of millions of women who are helping make change happen.

1. Michelle Bachelet, President of Chile

During her second non-consecutive term, President Bachelet in 2014 ushered through a far-reaching education reform program that raised the government’s investment in public education. In her prior role as Executive Director of UN Women, she championed the Fund for Gender Equality, which provides grants to support innovative programs by government agencies and civil society groups to promote equal gender access to quality education. “We focus on girls’ education,” she said, “because it sets them on a path to greater economic opportunities and participation in their societies.”…

10. Angelique Kidjo, Musician

West African singer, songwriter and UNICEF International Goodwill Ambassador is also the founder of theBatonga Foundation, which focuses on empowering young women and girls in Africa through secondary school and higher education. Batonga works to improve school infrastructure, increase enrollment, grant scholarships, provide in-kind support and micro loans for scholars’ families, cultivate mentoring and tutoring programs, and advocate for community awareness of the value of education for girls. “The problem we are having today,” she told Al-Jazeera, “is that girls in some countries, in some traditions, are still seen as [a] commodity. Therefore, they can be kidnapped. They can be married. The only thing that I know as an African person that can transform my continent is girls’ education.”


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