"The Girl Effect: The Clock is Ticking" video maps out the different paths a girl takes upon turning the age of 12, highlighting the positive ripple effect a healthy, empowered girl can have upon her community and future generations.
This is at the heart of the girl effect – the unique potential of 600 million adolescent girls to end poverty for themselves and the world.
"The Girl Effect: The Clock is Ticking" reveals what a girl needs to stay on a healthy path and conversely what happens if we don’t invest, but most of all stresses the sense of urgency – it is time to act, no excuses.
Improve a girl's life and everyone benefits: her brothers, sisters, parents, future children and grandchildren. As an educated mother, an active, productive citizen and a prepared employee, she can break the cycle of poverty for families and nations.
Yet, despite that proven potential, the 600 million adolescent girls living in today's developing countries are more likely to be uneducated, child brides, exposed to HIV/AIDS.
Today, about two per-cent of every international development dollar is directed to them; remaining funding goes elsewhere. As long as girls remain invisible, the world misses out on a tremendous opportunity for change.
Watch the video:
The costs of ignoring girls' health are massive and precious resources are wasted. Some researchers estimate that in India, for example, adolescent pregnancy results in nearly $100 billion of lost potential income, equal to almost two decades' worth of global humanitarian assistance (Chaaban and Cunningham 2009).
Girls are particularly vulnerable to early marriage and early pregnancy, they experience higher rates of maternal mortality, lack access to information and are more likely to use transactional sex to support themselves.
When the only asset a girl has is her body, the consequences are dire. With access to health, education, health and to economic opportunities, her well-being becomes possible, and has a ripple effect on those around her.
The clock is ticking:
- The time to act is now - No more excuses
- It's urgent, it's a tight window
- Reach her before 12 and we are stopping problems before they start
About girleffect.org
The girleffect.org website tells the story of girls creating a ripple impact of social and economic change on their families, communities and nations.
The work of the Girl Effect is driven by girl champions around the globe.
The Nike Foundation created the Girl Effect with significant financial and intellectual contributions by the NoVo Foundation and Nike, Inc. and in collaboration with key partners such as the United Nations Foundation and the Coalition for Adolescent Girls and CARE.
Find The Girl Effect here:
Website: www.girleffect.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/girleffect
Twitter: www.twitter.com/girleffect
