The past year has been a whirlwind! As many of you reflect on your year, I am certain you are probably saying the same thing. From adding a new niece to my family, starting a new relationship and diving into my work with Girls’ Globe this year has been full of great changes and opportunities. When I think about all Girls’ Globe has accomplished this year, I am amazed! When I began blogging for Girls’ Globe in 2013, I never would have expected to have the opportunity to watch our online magazine grow into a global network of young women and organizations creating enourmous change for women and girls around the world. It is inspiring to hear daily stories from young women and girls who are gaining leadership skills, learning more about their bodies, starting businesses and advocating for change in their governments.

I love talking with the young women and girls’ in our network and hearing about how Girls’ Globe has been a mechanism for them to create change both at a grassroots level in their communities and an international level. Our online magazine provides individuals and organizations a safe space to share real and personal stories from their work to strengthen girls’ and women’s voices. Below are just a few highlights from this past year:

Global Network

Girls’ Globe continues to expand our global network and recruit diverse individuals and organizations to write about the health and rights of women and girls. This year, Girls’ Globe has empowered over 80 bloggers, both young women and organizational representatives to share about the incredible work they are doing to empower women, girls’ and communities. Our online platform, has enabled these incredible voices to be heard at an international level. If you are interested in joining our network you can apply today.

I’m left humbled after each recruitment call with our new bloggers and featured organizations. The Girls’ Globe partnership begins with a candid and passionate conversation that is unique to each member of our network. I’m so proud to be part of an organization that is dedicated to amplifying the voices of women and girls who are working tirelessly towards gender equality. -Holly Curtis, USA

Online Communications

Girls’ Globe continues to engage and inform a diverse and unique audience with interests ranging from global development to feminism to motherhood and more. In 2015, we published over 250 articles which garnered over 150,000 views from 190 countries. We engaged our readers and followers online through our #YouthVoices Instagram campaign, Google+ Hangout interviews and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) blog post series just to name a few. Make sure to continue to follow the blog as well as our social media channels on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Google+.

Girls’ Globe is a relevant, engaging and intelligent voice in the field of women’s health and empowerment. We are constantly impressed by their creativity. They’re always up to date with the latest technology, helping us to leverage new and innovative storytelling techniques and empowering us to reach a larger, more diverse community. Alexandra Cairns, Kupona Foundation

International Advocacy

One of the greatest highlights for me this year has been empowering our bloggers from around the world. This year, we participated in a variety of international events engaging young people, policy-makers, organizations and other stakeholders both on and offline through live coverage at the 70th Session of the UN General Assembly and the Global Maternal Newborn Health conference. We trained blogging fellows from Jamaica, Kenya and the United Kingdom. The training enabled them to raise their voices and advocate for issues important to them. The fellows learned best practices in live coverage and were trained in interviewing techniques and on how to utilize digital tools.

I was humbled by the opportunity to represent Girls Globe at UNGA. Such spaces often represent girls and young women as a homogenous group but through this opportunity I was glad to highlight the unique experiences, perspectives and lived realities of girls and young women around the world and make critical connections on their role in the implementation of SDGS. -Felogene Anumo, Kenya

What a year it has been! On behalf of the Girls’ Globe team, I want to say thank you. We value YOU, our readers who dedicate time each day to read stories and interact with us through your comments and on social media. We love hearing incredible stories from the young women and organizations in our network. Finally, our work would not be possible without our many partners, who take the time to invest in our work. In 2016, we look forward to more growth and an increased opportunities to continue to advocate for the health and rights of women and girls around the world.