An award ceremony was held in Cardiff yesterday, twelve young Welsh people won their trophies.
Twelve young Welsh people, who are dedicated to gender equality are given awards for their distribution, people gathered together this Thursday to celebrate their success.
Six months ago, Plan International UK, an organization that focuses on girls’ rights, started a girls’ rights movement in Wales. Supported by Plan International UK, young people got money to run their projects, and all of them have achieved a lot in the past six months. These young people are creative and enthusiastic, they take advantage of their strengths and hobbies to share and practice their idea of gender equality.
“It started because we did some research into what challenges Welsh girls are facing, and so we expect that they are so frustrated by not being hurt and debate gender equality, and so in response to that we started a programme working across Wales with young people, to try address the issues of gender equality,” said Rose Caldwell, chief executive of Plan International UK.
Surprisingly, although promoting gender equality is a social problem, but these young people, most of them are under twenty, are so creative and enthusiastic about gender equality issues. “I think it’s hardly effect of raising issues of gender equality in their own environment, but this also gives them a lot of confidence and give them a voice,” said Rose.
Saynab, a high school student who is really passionate about politics, her project is Diversity Democracy, she wants to encourage more women to participate in politics. “We don’t really have enough people representing us in politics therefore a lot of people aren’t interested in politics at all let alone if they want to vote. I want to make a change for future generations,” said Saynab.
Another girl Saiba, also one of the award winners, her project is called Collaboration for a More Equal Nation.“The main aim of this project overall is meant highlight to young women that we can learn from the attitudes and approaches in different communities, but also provide the underlying message, but to advance women’s rights to everyone,” says Saiba.
Saiba created an online community that allows people to upload their stories and provide advice to each other. “A collaboration is necessary, these living proof of the experience shared and differed between different young women has the potential to be hugely important in pushing for gender equality,” says Saiba.
This program also welcomes young people from different backgrounds living in Wales. Yusra and Kirstie come from Asia, and they run a project called “PSA: Periods”, which aims to reduce the stigma and taboo surrounding periods in minority communities and raise the awareness of using sustainable period products.
Not only girls but also boys fighting for girls’ rights. Evan and Isaac are two young MCs from Newport, and they created songs to support girls and women. According to Evan and Issac, their songs emphasize the need to encourage families and friends to uplift girls and women and break down rap music stereotypes.
Another boy Christian was encouraged by his mother and started his project called “55 poems”. According to Christian, after appreciating what his mother and sister do for him every day and seeing so much bullying and hate on social media, he created a collection of short poems to inspire and encourage mothers and girls.
According to Rose, each young person not only got a brand of 2000 pounds but also got a mentor to give them 1v1 support. And after this round, they are in the process of looking for new funding for more projects.
Another part of the girl strike projects is underway.