In celebration of Day of the Girl 2020, the British Council hosted a range of digital activities to celebrate, empower, and inspire. 11 October marked International Day of the Girl, a day commemorating the need to recognize girls’ rights and shed light on the different challenges girls face all over the world. This year’s theme, ‘My voice, our equal future’, celebrated girls and worked towards amplifying their voices, promoting girls’ empowerment, and standing up for their rights.
Starting from 11 October 2020, we shared stories on our social media channels of inspiring adolescent girls who have been developing innovative solutions or leading efforts towards positive social change, including gender equality, in their communities.
A special short film screening by Under 18 Girl Filmmakers Mubasshira Ibnat, Suprio Labonno, Afrida Mehzabin and Syeda Abrar Toaha Draha was arranged in collaboration with Children's Film Society. The films showcased bright young female filmmakers, created a window to a greater world through visual storytelling for children while encouraging empathy, understanding and awareness.
The British Council’s other digital offers celebrating Day of the Girl included a timely talk on parenting and a filmmaking session for children. The ‘Talk on Parenting: Gender Equality Begins at Home’ was LIVE on our Facebook page on 14 October 2020 at 05:00 p.m. with eminent psychologist Dr. Mehtab Khanam and included a discussion on how stereotyping and discrimination by parents between girl and boy children affects both boys and girls negatively in their young and adult lives and how parents can play a significant role in promoting gender equality, parent better and be role models in creating a happy, healthy, and supportive home. The filmmaking session for children, available to watch here, was facilitated by Raka Noshin Nower (Director, Applebox Films) and included quick tips and tricks on how to make films with the least amount of budget.
Bangladeshi Young Leader Dola Akter Reba (National Child Forum of Bangladesh) was selected to be a part of an online Convening of Young Leaders hosted by the WOW Foundation, in partnership with Purposeful, where forty girl and non-binary activists between the ages of 11 – 19 were brought together based on their work in areas such as social justice, gender rights, climate action, education activism, sexual and reproductive health and rights activism and gender equality. The sessions aimed at connecting, sharing ideas and learning from one another to help establish a new network and ended with a ‘Self Care in Activism’ workshop led by Manal Omar (Across Red Lines) and Haleema Bharoocha (Alliance For Girls). A global online directory, the first of its kind, has also been launched in celebration of Day of the Girl on the WOW website which will provide these 40 activists with a platform to share their work with girls all over the world. The global directory can be accessed here.
The WOW Foundation was created by Jude Kelly CBE in 2018 to run the global movement that is WOW - Women of the World Festivals. The Festivals began in the UK in 2010, launched by Kelly at Southbank Centre London, where she was Artistic Director, to celebrate women and girls, taking a frank look at what prevents them from achieving their potential, raising awareness globally of the issues they face, and discussing solutions together. It is the biggest, most comprehensive and significant festival dedicated to presenting work by women and promoting equality for women and girls.