Maria Miller MP was delighted to host Plan International's - Our Vision: A Call to Action by Girls in Crisis launch in Houses of Parliament.
Plan International UK undertook consultations with young people to discuss the change they want to see. Plan International UK partnered with over 150 young people aged 15-25 living through crises in three countries – Congolese refugees in Rwanda, South Sudanese refugees in Northern Uganda and girls living in conflict-affected North East Nigeria. These contexts each represent different experiences of what it is like to be a girl living through conflict, disaster or displacement. The youth-led participatory methodology included focus-groups and key informant interviews to understand what impacts young girls’ lives and the barriers they face. And at every step these consultations were delivered by youth researchers. ‘Our Vision’ reflects the issues, challenges and changes young people raised during these consultations. It is their vision for a better future.
Maria said "I’m delighted to be here today to host the launch of Our Vision: A Call to Action by Girls in Crisis in my role as vice-chair of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association UK and I have long been a supporter of Plan International UK.
Across the world crises are becoming increasingly protracted and complex, the impacts often lasting years, not months. It is estimated that there are now 200 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.
But girls are among the worst affected in any humanitarian crisis. They face a double discrimination by being both young and female.
Their voices are often the least heard, with their rights and needs left unmet. In times of crises girls’ education is more likely to be devalued, placing them at greater risk of early marriage and pregnancy and they face an uphill struggle to access the services and resources that they deserve.
In recognition of this, Plan International UK has partnered with over 150 young people from across Nigeria, Rwanda and Uganda to create this Call to Action which outlines the girls’ eight demands for a better future, in their own words.
I support the Call to Action and the UK has already shown strong leadership promoting international development and gender equality globally.
I’m proud of the Conservatives’ ongoing commitment to spend 0.7% of GNI on overseas development, and to leave no one behind. Our Prime Minister has pledged to ensure that all girls receive 12 years of quality education by 2030.
In our 2019 manifesto we committed to ending preventable maternal, new-born and child deaths by 2030, these measures are key to upholding girls’ rights and promoting gender equality.
We must continue to work closely to harness the momentum generated by the Call to Action and turn this into real change which delivers targeted support, better data and increased funding to improve the lives of girls in crises."
To hear more from the girls themselves about their call to action visit: www.visionbygirlsincrisis.org.