https://www.girlsglobe.org Gender equality, human rights and social justice. Wed, 11 Jun 2025 11:59:59 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.1 https://i0.wp.com/www.girlsglobe.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/girlsglobe_icon_green2-1.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 https://www.girlsglobe.org 32 32 128553070 https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/06/13/dr-blessing-timidi-digha-canada/ https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/06/13/dr-blessing-timidi-digha-canada/#respond Fri, 13 Jun 2025 08:00:00 +0000 https://www.girlsglobe.org/?p=66592 Dr. Blessing Timidi Digha is a Black woman who identifies as a Feminist and who is also an Advocate, Storyteller and Community-Based Researcher. She brings all of her intersections and ideologies to the work she does on Gender-Based Violence and Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights.

Blessing likes to kickstart uncomfortable conversations on issues that concern, affect, and impact girls and women. She is currently pursuing a doctorate degree in social justice education.

In this episode, Blessing discusses

- the ways people encouraged her to pursue a Masters degree and then a Doctorate, after having first studied engineering in Nigeria because her parents considered it a prestigious profession…
- her choice to study social justice education as her field of study for advanced degrees that complimented her fieldwork experiences…
- the level of openness of knowledgeable professors in Canada who value the diverse field experiences of their students…
- her advice to us all to incorporate what we love into things that we are required to do…
- the importance of honoring the season we are in and of knowing when it is time to let a season go…
- and these words of encouragement: “You can evolve at any time. The only constant is you. As long as you want it, go for it!”]]> https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/06/13/dr-blessing-timidi-digha-canada/feed/ 0 66592 https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/05/23/danielle-mullings-jamaica/ https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/05/23/danielle-mullings-jamaica/#respond Fri, 23 May 2025 11:41:50 +0000 https://www.girlsglobe.org/?p=66557 Danielle Mullings is a dynamic young leader and technology enthusiast from Jamaica.

She does a fun mix of tech, youth empowerment, and media, hosting a youth TV show, moderating global science events, and serving on Jamaica’s AI Task Force. Danielle is currently juggling these responsibilities while part-time pursuing her Masters of Science in Translational Health Sciences at Oxford University while also working with regional and international entities. 

In this episode, Danielle discusses

- her commitment to bringing young people together, listening to their experiences and ensuring that their voices are heard.
- leadership roles early in her school and university years.
- incorporating the viewpoints of others in the youth leadership and advocacy space.
- working to increase the number of young people  involved in decision-making forums.
- growing up in a loving and supportive family, and the important life lessons her family taught her.
- being encouraged to pursue roles of increasing scope and responsibilities as a university student, including running for Guild President, leading thousands of students and being the official representative to the university administration, as well as the regional university administration, representing 50,000 students across the Caribbean.
- the role of technology in effectively gathering and using data to understand and communicate the needs of students.
- how her experiences led her to become the host of a youth TV show in Jamaica, showcasing young people, their stories, and their accomplishments.
- the importance of individualized approaches to self-care.
- ways to deal with our own self-criticise.
- the importance of volunteerism and how it can lead to unexpected career opportunities.
- having the courage to apply for roles that may seem out of reach.
- how introducing herself to a Government Minister led to being invited to join Jamaica’s AI Task Force and another government committee.
- the power of a simple compliment in encouraging others, and the reminder to be more positive as we speak with people day-to-day.
- and her advice to young women (and us all) to “shoot for the stars” as we find our voice.]]> https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/05/23/danielle-mullings-jamaica/feed/ 0 66557 https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/05/09/susan-jeremy-usa/ https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/05/09/susan-jeremy-usa/#respond Fri, 09 May 2025 07:29:58 +0000 https://www.girlsglobe.org/?p=66529 Susan Jeremy is a solo performer, stand-up, playwright and public school teacher in New York City.

As a performer, she keeps her audiences laughing with many characters, music, observations, and dry wit. She is the author of seven solo shows which she performs internationally. Susan’s works have been featured around the world at comedy festivals, including the Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. She is the recipient of the Best Comedy and Best Production award at Montreal Fringe Festival along with Best touring show at Hamilton Fringe. 

In this episode, Susan discusses her seventh solo show, Robert Will Show You the Door (Tales of Being Fired), and how being fired from a series of jobs led her to becoming a special education teacher. She reveals that she is an undiagnosed person with dyslexia and how this affected what she thought was possible. She discusses how performing led her to find her confidence and overcome her learning disability.

When she started substitute teaching she used her daily experiences to write her first a solo show. She brought the show to Montreal and it was an instant hit, landing her a contract to tour the show nationally, only to have it cancelled when 9/11 happened. Susan took this as a sign that she was supposed to work with kids. When she was offered a full time teaching job, she took it, walked away from show business and went to grad school at night. A feat that she never saw was possible.

Susan learned that the way forward is to not listen to people who say “you can’t do this” and never to doubt yourself. The mere act of trying is brave and will lead you on a path to accomplish things.

As a breast cancer survivor, Susan discusses how facing a life challenging illness made her  even more determined to accomplish her goals. She used humor as a survival technique and inspired others who were going through treatment. This led her to teaching children who were in the hospital. Having already survived cancer, she knew that these kids wanted to have a normal school session and not be seen as patients. 

She wants our listeners to trust themselves if they are uncertain, and if you don’t know how to do something, just act as if you do and the confidence will lead you through. 

You can learn more about Susan Jeremy and find information about her upcoming performances, at https://www.susanjeremy.net/]]> https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/05/09/susan-jeremy-usa/feed/ 0 66529 https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/04/02/from-streets-to-classrooms-in-afghanistan-alis-story/ https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/04/02/from-streets-to-classrooms-in-afghanistan-alis-story/#respond Wed, 02 Apr 2025 07:47:22 +0000 https://www.girlsglobe.org/?p=66472 Ali was only 4 years old when his drug-addicted father left the family. His mother took his sister and disappeared shortly after. Ali was left with his grandmother who washes clothes at peoples homes in order to pay the bills, and his aunt, who begs for bread next to a bakery every day. When we found Ali, he had been selling chewing gum on the streets to earn 30 AFS ($0.34) a day to contribute to family food. 

"Since Ali doesn't have parents anymore," shared his grandmother, "I worried about his future and thought he would become like his father. Now that he is going to school, I am relieved and have much hope for him."]]> https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/04/02/from-streets-to-classrooms-in-afghanistan-alis-story/feed/ 0 66472 https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/03/06/1-in-4-countries-worldwide-face-backlash-on-womens-rights-new-un-women-report-shows/ https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/03/06/1-in-4-countries-worldwide-face-backlash-on-womens-rights-new-un-women-report-shows/#respond Thu, 06 Mar 2025 12:20:57 +0000 https://www.girlsglobe.org/?p=66392 Ahead of the 50th official UN International Women's Day this year, UN Women reports that one in four countries face backlash on women's rights. Gender equality and the rights of women and girls are facing growing threats at unprecedented levels.

In a world where we're seeing the rise of authoritarianism, the power of big tech and AI, we're also witnessing the simultaneous rise of threats against women's and girls' rights.

These threats include higher levels of discrimination, weaker legal protections, less funding for programs and institutions that support and protect women. Global crises, like the COVID-19 pandemic, the climate emergency, conflicts and soaring prices, make the urgency to respond to these threats even greater.]]> https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/03/06/1-in-4-countries-worldwide-face-backlash-on-womens-rights-new-un-women-report-shows/feed/ 0 66392 https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/03/05/christine-sayo-kenya/ https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/03/05/christine-sayo-kenya/#respond Wed, 05 Mar 2025 11:05:21 +0000 https://www.girlsglobe.org/?p=66385 Christine Sayo is a passionate communications specialist and environmentalist from Kenya.

She is a lover of human rights and advocates for the rights of women and girls. Christine has been working in the NGO space for over fifteen years and has a dream to write and produce a TV show about non-profit organizations.  

In this episode, Christine Sayo discusses:

- why she began calling herself an environmentalist when working on her Master’s Degree and working for a non-governmental organization producing a show on environmental issues…
- facing the challenge of breaking down jargon so people can better understand environmental issues…
- for her Master's thesis, focusing on how the media can best communicate about environment issues…
- having her thesis published and being recruited by the environmental movement, Let's Do It! World, to be a representative in Kenya…
- in 2016, launching the non-profit Let's Do It! Kenya …
- hosting the first “cleanup” day in Kenya and having 20,000 people participate…
- the importance of engaging young people to drive change…
- traveling to different countries to discuss environmental challenges and solutions…
- the reminder that “every small step counts”…
- with her colleagues working in other countries, championing the successful effort to have the United Nations declare September 20 as World Cleanup Day…
- discovering that many of the grassroots efforts to conserve the environment were being led by women and young girls…
- working to have these women and girls included in decision-making spaces…
- the importance of mentorship and coaching.]]> https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/03/05/christine-sayo-kenya/feed/ 0 66385 https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/02/18/for-the-dignity-of-all-supporting-usaid/ https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/02/18/for-the-dignity-of-all-supporting-usaid/#respond Tue, 18 Feb 2025 17:13:08 +0000 https://www.girlsglobe.org/?p=66354 The image is still vivid: girls, between eleven and fourteen years old, sitting in a circle, waiting. Not for treats, but for notebooks and pens. These girls had been in school, but their families could no longer afford the basic supplies. These materials came from a box stamped with the words, “from the American people.” […]]]> https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/02/18/for-the-dignity-of-all-supporting-usaid/feed/ 0 66354 https://www.girlsglobe.org/2024/12/17/i-want-to-help-rural-women-in-india-own-the-land-they-work-on/ https://www.girlsglobe.org/2024/12/17/i-want-to-help-rural-women-in-india-own-the-land-they-work-on/#comments Tue, 17 Dec 2024 12:04:19 +0000 https://www.girlsglobe.org/?p=66263 "In my community, women do all the farm work while the men are hardly seen.

It’s an unfortunate truth that most men have either migrated to cities in search of alternative livelihoods, have decreasing interest in farming, or have succumbed to alcoholism. Despite their hard work, only 1 in 6 rural Indian women own the land they work on.

When I meet women in the field, they often lack agency and have no place to call their own, with no rights to their parental or husband's homes. In cases of domestic violence, they have nothing of their own to fall back on. Most feel trapped and hopeless. They lack a voice. Without a voice, they have no income or means to make life decisions or achieve long-term financial security.

As I came across more and more women suffering this fate, I knew I had to do something."

written by Rachna Bagwan who works for Jan Sahas, an NGO partner of Womanity’s ‘Land for Women’ programme]]> https://www.girlsglobe.org/2024/12/17/i-want-to-help-rural-women-in-india-own-the-land-they-work-on/feed/ 1 66263 https://www.girlsglobe.org/2024/10/30/building-true-global-feminist-solidarity/ https://www.girlsglobe.org/2024/10/30/building-true-global-feminist-solidarity/#respond Wed, 30 Oct 2024 07:33:22 +0000 https://www.girlsglobe.org/?p=66235&preview=true&preview_id=66235 This is a different episode of the podcast with host Julia Wiklander speaking about the global feminist solidarity movement, building resilience in the midst of deep pain, and why she started the podcast. This is an episode to remind us of why we’re doing this work. Julia talks about what feminist solidarity really means - and what inspired her to start Girls’ Globe to amplify the voices of so many people who go unrecognized or unheard. She encourages us that our voices matter and how important it is to reflect on our values and to let them lead in all aspects of our work - including our communications. Her new course Strategic Storytelling for Changemakers is an opportunity to create a powerful communications strategy that is aligned with our values and purpose, defined by our powerful stories and the people we want to reach. Learn more about Strategic Storytelling for Changemakers here: https://juliawiklander.com/storytelling/ Enroll by the end of October for 20% off using code LAUNCH. If you're one of the first 10 people to enroll you get a free 1:1 Strategic Storytelling Call with Julia.]]> https://www.girlsglobe.org/2024/10/30/building-true-global-feminist-solidarity/feed/ 0 66235 https://www.girlsglobe.org/2024/10/18/hassina-sherjan-a-legacy-for-education-in-afghanistan/ https://www.girlsglobe.org/2024/10/18/hassina-sherjan-a-legacy-for-education-in-afghanistan/#comments Fri, 18 Oct 2024 07:19:00 +0000 https://www.girlsglobe.org/?p=66213&preview=true&preview_id=66213 Hassina Sherjan shares her own story of coming back to Afghanistan 19 years after leaving the country at the age of 19.

She tells us about how she build Aid Afghanistan for Education and the impact the organization has had. Hassina speaks about the shock and aftermath of the Taliban takeover in 2021 and how her work for education in Afghanistan continues in a different form.

Hassina Sherjan is the Founder and CEO of Aid Afghanistan For Education. ]]> https://www.girlsglobe.org/2024/10/18/hassina-sherjan-a-legacy-for-education-in-afghanistan/feed/ 1 66213