Amplifying the Voices of Adolescent Girls At Global Decision-Making Spaces - UNGA 78

REFLECTIONS FROM UNGA 78TH

Girls and young women worldwide face unique challenges and their opportunities for building a strong sense of agency often depend on community-driven organizations that implement local, girl-focused interventions. These grassroots organizations play a crucial role in global efforts to holistically empower adolescent girls. However, the valuable insights gathered by these local organizations and the girls they serve are rarely seen in global agendas and decision-making spaces.

The United Nations (UN) hosts various global meetings each year, including the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) convening and the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The UN actively encourages the participation of young people through member state representation, recognizing the importance of young voices in global discussions.

“As in previous sessions, we strongly encourage organizations to include youth members in their delegations whose voice and contribution is critical if no one is to be left behind.” - UN Women

Despite this declaration and desire to include youth voices, one of the world’s most prominent sources of youth leadership and youth-focused work continues to be excluded from spaces organized by the UN. That source, so often driven by youth in one way or another, is the thriving web of civil society organizations operating in communities all over the globe. Unfortunately, civil society engagement at UNGA has, historically, been limited, with civil society mainly organizing side events and seeking ‘government allies’ to support their advocacy. This lack of engagement ultimately affects the possibility of a strong presence of girls and young people at UNGA and limits youth involvement to channels that are traditionally difficult to navigate for this key population, such as formal member-state representation.

However, girls and young people are resilient. They have never given up. They have consistently said; "There is nothing for us, without us," and "Bring us to the table, let us guide you in supporting our needs”. However, their pleas have too often gone unrecognized. Fallen on deaf ears.

Adolescent girls like Sharly Misati are a reflection of what girls and young people at UNGA are trying to achieve: boldly seeking to be part of a global conversation on issues that affect them.

Misati, an adolescent girl from the Northern Women Empowerment Initiative (NOWEI) Kenya, an AMPLIFY Girls Partner organization, had the opportunity to participate in the United Nations General Assembly and related meetings held this September in New York with support from AMPLIFY Girls and the Adolescent Girls Investment Plan (AGIP).

Misati Speaking at UNGA78

In speaking with Misati, it is clear that her journey to UNGA left a lasting mark. Witnessing young women fearlessly speak their truths in front of global leaders at the Generation Equality Midpoint Moment resonated deeply and, for Misati and girls like her, the moment represented a long-held dream - to be represented, accurately, by someone who could be her peer.

"The simplest joy I experienced was connecting with other young people who shared the same passion for making a difference. We exchanged stories, experiences, ideas, and the challenges we all faced," Misati recounted. "By the end of the day, we realized that even though we come from different parts of the world and are associated with different organizations, we all share common needs: inclusion, agency, representation, consideration, and the drive to make a change," she added.

While there has been notable progress, adolescent girls still encounter barriers in various spaces. "While adolescent girls were given the space to participate, the tangible outcomes of our involvement often amounted to little more than photographs. We are not just advocating for inclusion but meaningful inclusion and consideration at all levels," Misati says.

Misati noticed that some spaces remained inaccessible due to stringent invitation requirements and other constraints. Her resounding message was crystal clear: "Don't speak for us; speak to us."

Agency empowers girls in ways that many conventional metrics have not fully captured. Being present in global events can be a life-changing experience for adolescent girls; improving their confidence, self-awareness, and leadership skills, such as public speaking. Therefore, as a part of the global community, we, at AMPLIFY Girls, insist that it is imperative not only to invest in girls' representation but also to underscore the significance of nurturing girls' agency, equipping them with the tools and opportunities they need to meaningfully participate in global decision-making spaces.

We thank the Adolescent Girls Investment Plan (AGIP) for their support in bringing Misati with us to participate in the United Nations General Assembly and related meetings. As AMPLIFY Girls, we are committed to working with our network of 40 partners, such as NOWEI, in Eastern and Southern Africa to build adolescent girls' agency and amplify their voices on the global stage.

To learn more about the work that AMPLIFY Girls is doing and the impact we are making with our partner organizations, please visit our website.