When I’m seen, I am not just a shadow slipping through the cracks. I am a force. I am a potential waiting to be realized. I become a name, a face, a future. My voice is heard, so I will never be missed again.
WRC has spoken with
We have shared what we need, and what we have to offer. And we have led programming for all types of girls: those who are out of school, those who are married, those who live with a disability, and those who have children.
When I’m seen, I have spaces where I can breathe, learn, and talk about my future. In these places, I can share ideas with other girls like me. I can learn skills, grow stronger, and dare to hope.
Safe spaces for girls are an evidence-based best practice for improving self-esteem, mental health, and attitudes toward gender equality. In Kutupalong Refugee Camp in Cox’s Bazar, WRC and Partners in Health and Development mapped access to safe spaces for over 200 adolescent girls to determine where to expand their programming.
When I’m seen, my community begins to change. Old norms are challenged. I am not just a daughter to be married off. I am a student and a leader. People listen to me, and listening transforms into change. People begin to understand that protecting me means protecting the whole community.
When girls take action, communities notice. WRC’s approach to adolescent girl engagement has been proven to shift gender norms in Jordan, Niger, and Nigeria, with more support for girls’ education and delayed marriage.
When I’m seen, I get the services I need. I can go to school. I can learn about my body and my rights. The doors that were closed start to open, and I walk through them. Education and health are no longer distant dreams; they are my rights, and I am claiming them.
Tools from the I’m Here Approach were used to develop sexual and reproductive health programming for out-of-school adolescent girls in Iraq, Lebanon, and Bangladesh.
What happens when more of us are mapped? When more girls like me are found and heard? We become stronger. We become leaders. We transform our communities.
In 1 year, with
In 5 years, the effect would multiply, with
