Peace First Prize is Taking Nominations!

Do you know a US resident between ages 8-22 who had done some amazing peace making in their community? The Peace First Prize is looking for applicants for their $25,000 fellowship award to provide young peacemakers the opportunity to pursue their peace project and further their education for two years.

According to the website, "The Peace First Fellowship contributes to the movement Peace First is building through direct programming that builds a collection of youth peacemakers.  The Peace First Fellowship invests in empowering youth who are already catalysts for change, helping to put their work in context and provide the relationships, skills, and knowledge they need to take their peacemaking work to the next level.  The Peace First Fellowship has a unique focus on relationships: among Fellows, between Fellows and Peace First staff, and within the larger Peace First network."

Last year's winners ranged from ages 13-23 and worked on projects related to race, education, LGBT issues, bullying, and disabilities. Students often experienced first-hand different struggles and sought to make change so that other people in similar situations don't have to feel the same way they did. Check out the amazing five winners from 2014 here!

Do you know a girl in your community who has made amazing strides in peacemaking? Nominate her now for the Peace First Prize! Even if she doesn't make it as a finalist there are some great benefits to being an applicant:

• An invitation to join the Community of Peacemakers, a growing, online network of young people around the country who are creating positive social change. 
• A chance for their story to be featured on the Peace First Prize website and/or social media. 
• Entry into a raffle for a chance to donate $100 to the peacemaking organization of their choice (must apply by early application deadline, February 6, 2014).

Nominations are pretty quick (your nominee will be sent an application form after you nominate them), so fill one out now here: http://www.peacefirst.org/prize/index.php/nominate

Or, work with the girl on her application, which is available here: http://www.peacefirst.org/prize/index.php/apply

Note for girls applying: Be sure to look at the whole website as well as all of the social media pages and think about what kind of trends you see in what the prize is looking for. Applications are an art in themselves and unfortunately are the gatekeepers to great prizes and awards like these. If you don't get picked, don't be discouraged-- practicing filling out applications is good to do, and a great way to reflect on the great work you're doing in your community and the vision you have for yourself in the future! I suggest teaming up with an adult, such as your troop leader or parent, and having them help you to think about what makes you the best candidate and how to craft your personal story. This is your moment to shine-- don't be intimidated to speak highly and positively about yourself!

Resources for parents, teachers, and troop leaders: The website has some great resources for getting children started on the path to being great peacemakers in their community! Access them here: http://www.peacefirst.org/prize/peacemaking-resources

#Action2015 & the WAGGGS Take Action Backpack

If you are active on social media, particularly Twitter, you may have noticed the #Action2015 hashtag. Action/2015is a new global campaign to call to action, a movement to demand change and to work to ensure world leaders adopt truly ambitious goals and agreements on addressing climate change, poverty, inequality and injustice. This year is a pivotal year: the 2015 Millennium Development Goals are coming to an end and a new set of goals will be determined for the years to come! These new goals are important: they determine what key development issues get international support and funding, whether it's gender equality, infrastructure, government anti-corruption measures, and more.

January 15 was a big day to call our leaders to action, but you can still get involved-- leaders will be meeting throughout the year to decide these future goals, and every action you take in your local community and share with our global community makes a difference.

What Can I Do to Get Involved?

1. Check out the NEW WAGGGS Take Action Backpack, an interactive online "backpack" that will help you on your journey to understanding and taking action on child and maternal health. Why did WAGGGS pick these to focus on? Because Millennium Development goal 4 is on child health and Millennium Development goal 5 is on maternal health, and countries still have a way to go in ensuring that children and mothers have save and healthy lives! Check out the backpack here (be sure to click the play buttonn above the backpack to get started!): http://www.wagggs.org/en/take_action/mytakeactionbackback
2. Fill out the My World 2015 Survey and see what other people are saying. The My World 2015 Survey gives everyone around the globe the chance to have their voices heard in what they think are important goals as we look to the future! Fill out the survey here: http://vote.myworld2015.org/?partner=WAGGGS
3. GenUN also has a list of actions you can take to make 2015 a year of action. And remember, it is never too late to take any action and get your leaders' support! Check it out here: http://genun.unausa.org/action_2015_global_digital_rally
4. Check out the Action/2015 website for more information on what this big push for action in 2015 is all about: http://www.action2015.org/

International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

This November 25 will be the annual International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Many women and girls will experience violence in their lifetime; and many also experience violence on a regular basis. November 25 is meant to raise awareness that women and girls as targets of violence. Here is a great video from the United Nation Development Program (UNDP) on facts and figures on violence against women, featuring Antonio Banderas:

 

How many women experience violence? Why is the event held on November 25? Take the UN Women quiz on violence against women to find the answers and test your knowledge: http://beijing20.unwomen.org/en/get-involved/quiz

How can you get involved in the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women? One way is the head to the WAGGGS website to add your voice to the Voices Against Violence campaign! The WAGGGS site also provides a lot of great resources for adults to help their troops or communities get engaged in this global issue: http://www.wagggs.org/en/take_action/violence




Busy on November 25th and can't do an activity? This year, the UNITE Campaign is extending Orange Day to 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, starting November 25, International Day to End Violence Against Women, through December 10, Human Rights Day. That's right: there will be 16 days that you can get your troop or community group involved in this very important issue!

Need more facts? Want to check out more videos? What about looking at a detailed fact sheet? Get that all from the UN website here: http://www.un.org/en/women/endviolence/ 
And here: http://www.un.org/en/events/endviolenceday/




International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (25 november) from United Nations on Vimeo.

UNESCO Youth Photography Competition

UNESCO is looking for photos related to education and youth in your community and they are offering a cash prize for the winning photo!

Age requirements: 18-30 year olds
Award: USD$500 prize for the winner & the chance of seeing their photo printed in the next Education for All (EFA) Global Monitoring Report (GMR) and promoted globally to media and at our numerous launch events.

What is the EFA Report?
The next edition of the EFA Report is due out in April 2015 and will review how well the EFA movement has contributed to ensuring all children, young people and adults enjoy their right to a quality education. Find out more about the next report.

What we are looking for: As the next Report will look at progress in education from 2000 to today, your photo should illustrate ideas linked to youth, education, literacy, skills and/or the world of work among members of your community over the past fifteen years.

How to enter: The deadline for submitting a photo is 23.59 Paris time on 9 November 2014

More contest details available here: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/leading-the-international-agenda/efareport/reports/2015/photography-competition

What is UNESCO?

UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, is a specialised agency of the United Nations system. The main objective of UNESCO is to contribute to peace and security in the world by promoting collaboration among nations through education, science, culture and communication in order to further universal respect for justice and the rule of law and for the human rights and fundamental freedoms which are affirmed for the peoples of the world, without distinction of race, sex, language or religion.

International Day of the Girl Speak Out Event

At the International Day of the Girl Event this past Friday, held at the United Nations in NYC, girls from around the world came together to discuss issues girls face and explore their roles in policymaking. As part of the Speak Out event organized by the Working Group on Girls, girls from around were able to submit their art, videos, poetry, and stories online in the months prior to the Day of the Girl. Top submissions were selected to be presented and performed live in the ECOSOC Chambers of the UN to a full crowd of girls from around the world as well as UN Representatives from different nations and agencies.

The performances were amazing and powerful, a testament to the voices behind the submissions as well as to the talents of the girls who performed the acts. Submission topics included child marriage, body image, depression, peer pressure, and sexual violence. Submissions were true to life and very moving. One video submission of a girl putting on make up while flashing between sexual magazine covers of female celebrities featured no words but spoke volumes on the influence the media has on girls. Another girl who was at the event gave a speech on what it is like to be a girl in elementary school with a disability that drew a standing ovation. A story from a young girl in Africa talked about how she was nearly forced into child marriage at the age of 12 but managed to escape and continue her education. The stories not only spoke of the difficulties of being a girl, but also of how strong girls are at overcoming adversity.

Between each series of acts, a different representative from the UN had the opportunity to speak about how their agency is going to make sure these issues that girls face worldwide are going to be addressed. The commitments by these agencies brought tangible results to the experience and make sure that actions would be taken.



More Photos:

Girl Scouts from Mexico!

Working Group on Girls Co-Chairs, including Adwoa Aidoo (speaking) of Girl Scouts USA

UN Working Group on Girls Looking for Girl Advocates

From a recent press release from the Working Group on Girls:

2014-2015 is the fifth year the Working Group on Girls (WGG) is training and mentoring girls (freshmen or sophomores in high school) to advocate on behalf of girls within the United Nations system. WGG Girl Advocates work with the WGG’s Girls Participation Task Force. Each year we strive to have girls involved in the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in March at the United Nations and other high level events at the UN.

What is the Working Group on Girls or WGG? 

The Working Group on Girls (WGG) is dedicated to promoting the human rights of girls in all areas and stages of her life, advancing the inclusion and status of girls and assisting them to develop their full potential as women. The WGG advocates for the ongoing inclusion and development of girls’ rights in the work of the United Nation system and works to promote the active participation of girls as agents of change. For more information about the WGG please visit www.girlsrights.org.

What is a WGG Girl Advocate? 

In keeping with our commitment to promote the active participation of girls as agents of change, WGG Girl Advocates work with us to “make girls visible” within the UN System. Girl advocates have the opportunity to: Be a girl delegate for the 59th Women (CSW 59) at the United Nations in March 2015; Learn how the UN system interacts with non-profit organizations; Meet other girls, women and organizations engaged in the girls’ rights movement; Gain an in-depth understanding of the issues and topics that affect girls and their communities around the world; Help plan advocacy events for the UN community; session of the Commission on the Status of © Working Group on Girls 2014 Meet with members of the UN community such as diplomats, nonprofit leaders, and activists for girls’ rights; and Participate in WGG taskforces and committees such as Girls Against Violence, Advocacy, or Girls Participation Taskforce.

Who can apply? 

What are the requirements to be a WGG Girl Advocate? WGG encourages girls between 9th Attend and participate in WGG membership meetings from November 2014 through June 2015. Meetings are held 2:00PM to 4:00PM on the 1st of the month in New York City. If Girl Advocates are available during the summer months, opportunities do exist for participation and that involvement is encouraged. Participate in assigned WGG taskforces or committees. Participate in the Teen Orientation to CSW 59(mid-March 2015) Attend and participate in the Commission on the Status of Women meetings from March 9 Complete up to three hours of work per week, including meetings, required readings, and reporting.

Qualifications: 

WGG Girl Advocates must have:
A deep interest in global girl issues
Strong organizational & public speaking skills
Familiarity with basic computer programs
Engaged in social media activism

How to Apply: 

Applications should be submitted via email by Wednesday, October 15, 2014.

More info and full application available here: http://girlsrights.org/2014/09/new-girl-advocate-applications-available/

International Day of the Girl Event at the UN

The Day of the Girl Summit brings girls and girl-serving organizations together to celebrate the International Day of the Girl and support the advancement of girls' rights. This year, thousands more of girls, boys, adults, teachers, leaders, politicians and hundreds more of organizations, will show their support for the celebration of the unique and special role girls play in the world.

This year, the 2nd annual Girls Speak Out event will be held at the UN and invites girls ages 13 and older to come on Friday, October 10 from 3-5pm. The event is free and an excellent opportunity for girls! Simply register by September 30 here. This event will feature multi-media performances to tell girls’ personal stories of tenacity, struggles and challenges to shine the light on the irrepressible spirit that binds all girls together from all over the world.

More details on this event as well as other activities around the International Day of the Girl are available here: http://dayofthegirlsummit.org/idg-2014/

Not able to come to the UN? Follow the event on social media through the following hashtags: #IDG2014 #11MonthsofAction, #11DaysofAction #GirlsSpkOut