Listening to girls: why their voices matter
Decisions about girls' lives are often made without them. Yet girls know best what they fear and what they hope for. This article explains why listening to girls is the first step in protecting them.
Girls know their own lives
A girl can tell us whether she feels safe at home, at school and on the way between them. She can tell us what keeps her from learning and what would help.
Speaking up takes courage
In many communities, girls are taught to stay silent. When a girl speaks up against an early marriage, she needs adults who will listen and act.
In 2013, Nada Al-Ahdal, then aged 11, spoke out in a video against the forced marriage planned for her. Her voice reached millions of people and helped to change the law in Yemen.
How adults can listen
- Ask girls for their views, and take them seriously.
- Create safe spaces where girls can talk freely.
- Include girls in the decisions that affect them.
- Protect girls who speak up from blame or punishment.
When girls are heard, families and communities make better decisions. Every girl's voice deserves to be heard.