We cannot leave girls out of the equation -- not even in a simple title or a motivating campaign like Raise For Women. Why? Because adolescent girls are uniquely disadvantaged, yet they have the most potential to make the greatest change. I don't say this casually. It comes from a...

Of the many days in 2012 I've been anticipating, this one stands above them all. Today is the first-ever United Nations International Day of the Girl, thanks to Plan International and CIDA. Eight years ago, when the "girl effect" was just an idea, the NoVo Foundation, the UN Foundation, and...

At the groundbreaking London Summit on Family Planning this week, more than 150 leaders from the public and private sector joined forces to increase access to lifesaving contraceptives in the developing world. More than $2.6 billion was committed to get modern family planning to 120 million girls and women in...

The third week of September is always a crazy time in New York, but it's a good crazy. It's full of possibilities. Between the Clinton Global Initiative, or CGI, and the UN General Assembly, there are literally dozens of opportunities to bring the girl effect to the forefront. I promised...

Next week I'll be reporting from New York. In what's shaping up to be a banner week for girls, I'll have the chance to share news as-it-happens from the MDG Summit, CGI, the WIE Symposium and a special meeting with heads of state on the MDG5. If it has an...

Last month some 20,000 researchers, policymakers and grassroots advocates got together for the International AIDS Conference in Vienna. If you noticed an uptick in HIV-related mentions in trending topics on Twitter, Yahoo or here on The Huffington Post, this is probably why. Together they presented more than 6,000 papers.

As...

After five amazing days, the World Economic Forum annual meeting is coming to an end, almost as quickly as it began. It's been a tremendous week -- full of fascinating sessions, provocative conversations with brilliant people and, of course, some good fun in between.

As I mentioned in my...

What a day. I think days at Davos are like dog years, or at least like two weeks of "normal" life. I'm stealing away from the "Women Leaders" dinner to quickly get this blog out.

I...we...all had high expectations for "Setting the Stage for the Girl Effect" workshop and,...

Another early morning in Davos, but I woke up refreshed and excited in anticipation of what's to come today: the workshop "Setting the Stage for the Girl Effect."

Actually, I think I really began to get excited last night as I once again made my rounds to the evening...

I've attended Davos for the last seven years and I start off today's blog with a true confession of a rookie error.

Last night was the first big night of Davos gatherings. I started at the Clinton Global Initiative reception with President Clinton. He was in great form as...

One of my favorite sessions every WEF conference so far has been the very first. Yesterday's was an update on the global economy moderated by Michael Elliott of Time International. He kicked off the session with stimulating questions and brought out the best in a panel of great economic thinkers....

Next week I'll be heading for the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting. It is always exciting to head off to Davos, Switzerland wondering what awaits us. The theme of this year's meeting is "Rethink, Redesign, and Rebuild" the world. That's a tall order, but if you've read my blog before,...

I recently returned from some wonderful, eye-opening, and unforgettable experiences in India and Ethiopia. In my previous blog I talked about the incredible energy at the WEF India Economic Summit. I was inspired by the passion and a number of girl champions that emerged from the plenary session--both on the...

I sit on the flight from Delhi to London unable to sleep from all the excitement of the past few days, really the whole year. I am returning from the World Economic Forum's Summit in India and once again, as at previous economic summits, the importance of girls in the...

The Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative, which just wrapped up, was a key moment in the movement to get girls on the global agenda and drive resources to them. Those organizations who have been doing this work for years were thrilled to see that we're finally beginning to...

Last week The New York Times' Nick Kristof wrote about a Pakistani girl named Assiya Rafiq who, at 16, was held captive and raped and beaten for a year. She finally made it to the "refuge" of a police station, where four officers took turns raping her all over...

A quick note from Maria: the Nike Foundation's Managing Director, Lisa MacCallum suggested we take a moment to comment on World Population Day. Following is her take on things.

Today, Saturday, July 11, is the 20th annual World Population Day. Its whole goal is to raise awareness of global population...

I mentioned last week that girls would be front and center at the World Economic Forum on Africa's session entitled "The Girl Effect in Africa." By all accounts, it was an amazing session. The Nike Foundation's Managing Director, Lisa MacCallum, served as moderator and shared this report:

For those not...

As anticipation builds for this week's World Economic Forum on Africa, many are not aware that another important summit took place in Cape Town last week. It didn't get the same attention, but its impact on Africa's future is equally profound.

The African Youth Summit, hosted by the British...

It's no secret I'm a passionate, shout-it-from-the-rooftops advocate of the girl effect - the positive social and economic change brought about when girls have the opportunity to participate. I wholeheartedly believe in the ripple effect that investments in adolescent girls have on everyone around them. I believe that girls have...