U.S. Girls Help Less Fortunate Worldwide In 'Girl Up' Campaign

Empowered, smart and savvy U.S. girls -- have been given a chance to help less fortunate girls worldwide through the newly launched Girl Up campaign.

The campaign, sponsored by the United Nations Foundation, encourages young girls in the States to raise awareness and funds for adolescent girls in developing countries.

According to its site, the Girl Up campaign gives girls:

the opportunity to become educated, healthy, safe, counted, and positioned to be the next generation of leaders.

Global advocates like Queen Rania of Jordan, MTV exec Judy McGrath and singer-songwriter Crystal Bowersox have joined the cause to spread the message of girl power around the world. Part of the mission asks American youth to "high-five" girls overseas who don't have the same opportunities as girls in the United States.

Bowersox says:

"What that is is to take five minutes to learn about the issues that are impacting these young women in these nations that we are focusing on," she explains. "Once you learn about these things and what these girls go through every day, you can share what you've learned with five friends. When those five friends tell five friends, the numbers can grow exponentially. Then if every one those people that you tell donates $5, it can provide school supplies for more than 100 girls in countries like Malawi. It can help provide for building supplies, to transform a one-room health clinic to a fully operating health center. Or it can put up a billboard in Malawi that will ask for the end of childhood marriage."

WATCH:

Read more about the Girl Up campaign at VOA News.