Advocate For Girls’ Leadership Program Recognized As Best Practices model

The Indian Governance Knowledge Centre has recognized our Advocate for Girls’ Leadership Program as a Best Practices Model. In the program we encourage adolescent girls to take responsibilities and make critical decisions as Bal Sabha council members. Since 2008 we have been successful in empowering young girls from Pali, one of the highest gender gap districts in Rajasthan.

The patriarchal nature of our society has often worked to relegate girls to the household and to less enterprising roles. They are excluded from family decision-making process and treated as passive subjects. In order to bring a change, Educate Girls empowers upper primary school girls by organizing them into Bal Sabhas, a concept that exists within the school framework and has been adapted to girls only. The democratically elected Girls’ Councils stimulate participation in school and life through regular Life Skills activities. Roleplaying and storytelling activities help boost communication, leadership, critical thinking and problem solving skills.

These skills, conveyed through interactive games, have proven to be a powerful driver for change in the girls’ lives, giving them confidence to speak up in a group and thus to advocate for girls’ leadership. The Indian Governance Knowledge Centre chose to document our initiative as a best practice because it targets adolescent girls that are generally neglected in society. Girls’ rights and entitlements as individuals are emphasized through all our efforts, programs and campaigns. Read the full case here.

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