This Saturday, Oct. 11, the global community will celebrate the third-annual International Day of the Girl. Marking the day gives us the chance to honor the accomplishments of girls around the world and mobilize to address the challenges and obstacles that remain.
We mark International Day of the Girl each October, but there are organizations working to empower girls around the world year round. And while I'm proud of Women Thrive's work in promoting girls' education, breaking down barriers to girls' opportunity and advocating for girls' rights, we certainly don't work alone.
To honor the collective success of organizations, I thought I'd share a list of some of our amazing partners. Each is working to build a world where girls can thrive. I can't list them all here, but I encourage you to identify a few whose missions inspire and move you to action. Check them out and get involved.
Mission: Girl Up is an innovative campaign of the United Nations Foundation. The campaign offers American girls the opportunity to become global leaders and channel their energy and compassion to raise awareness and funds for United Nations programs that help some of the world's hardest-to-reach adolescent girls.
What makes Girl Up special? The campaign may have champions like Jordan's Queen Rania, but it's fueled by a team of teen advisors who give feedback on every aspect of the campaign.
Mission: The Girl Effect is a movement. It's about leveraging the unique potential of adolescent girls to end poverty for themselves, their families, their communities, their countries, and the world. It's about making girls visible and changing their social and economic dynamics by providing them with specific, powerful, and relevant resources.
What makes The Girl Effect special? This movement is people-driven. The campaign's website provides easy-to-use tools and resources that empower everyday people to take their passion for empowering girls to their networks, communities, and beyond.
Mission: To secure basic human rights for girls -- rights like access to clean water, food, healthcare, education, and freedom from violence -- Plan's Because I'm a Girl campaign creates sustainable projects for girls living in poverty.
What makes Because I'm a Girl special? This campaign has big ambitions. It aims to reach 4 million girls directly, and 40 million girls and boys through community improvements by way of Plan's gender programs. With 75 years of experience, Plan has the knowledge and resources to help realize a better world for girls.
Mission: To change the way the world values girls. Everything Girl Rising does is aimed at ensuring that girls' education is part of the mainstream conversation.
What makes Girl Rising special? This campaign takes media to another level. Girl Rising inspires action through its film, videos, screening guides, and even a free school curriculum. Oh, and they work with media megaphones like CNN.com to bring attention to girls globally. If you haven't already, watch the film. These stories are inspiring.
Mission: To help women and girls learn more about their truest selves. Smart Girls believes that girls cultivating their authentic selves is very important. Smart Girls also believes that guidance is helpful as we find our way to ourselves. Smart Girls hopes to be of help in the exploration and discovery process.
What makes Smart Girls special? It's not often that one of the world's biggest stars (and her friends!) engages with girls daily to provide advice, inspiration and fun! This movement is about women and girls feeling good about themselves and living their dreams. That's definitely something to celebrate.
Of course, there are many other organizations working to recognize and realize the full potential of girls-- and the women they will become. Each of these efforts is changing the rules, breaking down barriers, and challenging stereotypes.
This International Day of the Girl -- and every day for that matter -- let's work together to build the movement for girls around the world.