We're proud to partner with She's the First and Girl Rising, who are joining forces under the Girl Rising name to invest in women leaders expanding opportunity for girls worldwide. Through in-person events, storytelling, and direct support of the Girls First Institute, we’re helping strengthen local, women-led organizations so more girls can learn, grow, and lead.
Lasting change for girls starts with the women who lead.
In this interview, Kate Kiama, VP of Global Programs, shares how the Girls First Institute is doing exactly that — equipping women leaders with the tools and support to expand opportunity for girls worldwide.
In this interview, Kate Kiama, VP of Global Programs, shares how the Girls First Institute is doing exactly that — equipping women leaders with the tools and support to expand opportunity for girls worldwide.
What inspired the creation of the Girls First Institute, and what gap was it designed to address?
The Girls First Institute was inspired by our many years working alongside community-based organizations. The women leading these innovative organizations consistently expressed a strong desire for professional development, but their budgets were limited.
We saw a clear need for affordable, high-quality, ongoing professional development tailored specifically for the women leading girl-focused programs in the regions where we work. The Institute was created to address that need.
We saw a clear need for affordable, high-quality, ongoing professional development tailored specifically for the women leading girl-focused programs in the regions where we work. The Institute was created to address that need.
What core skills or insights do participants gain through the Girls First Institute that set them apart as leaders?
Participants gain practical tools they can use right away, from designing stronger programs for girls to mentoring young people and creating safe, supportive spaces to learn and grow. A core part of the training focuses on sexual and reproductive health and rights, equipping leaders to support girls who face challenges such as early and forced marriage, gender-based violence, and limited access to education and healthcare.
They learn how to respond to these realities with care while building programs that protect girls’ well-being and expand their opportunities. Participants also strengthen their organizations and join a global network of women leaders who share ideas, support one another, and work together to create lasting change for girls.
They learn how to respond to these realities with care while building programs that protect girls’ well-being and expand their opportunities. Participants also strengthen their organizations and join a global network of women leaders who share ideas, support one another, and work together to create lasting change for girls.
How does the Institute help ensure that girls are not only educated, but respected and heard?
The Institute trains mentors to create safe and brave spaces where girls’ voices shape decisions, deepening their agency and ensuring their priorities and perspectives guide the work. It also supports the women who work most closely with girls, giving them practical tools to listen, collaborate, and meaningfully involve girls in shaping programs and activities.
Just as importantly, the Institute works with organizational leaders to recognize the value of including girls in decision-making, from advisory groups to leadership discussions, so that programs are truly shaped by the experiences, ideas, and aspirations of the girls they serve.
Just as importantly, the Institute works with organizational leaders to recognize the value of including girls in decision-making, from advisory groups to leadership discussions, so that programs are truly shaped by the experiences, ideas, and aspirations of the girls they serve.
Why is now such a critical moment to invest in girls’ leadership and education globally?
Now is a critical moment to invest in girls’ leadership and education globally because, while we have seen progress, systemic barriers such as early and forced marriage, gender-based violence, poverty, and limited access to quality education continue to restrict girls’ opportunities.
Even as global priorities shift or funding landscapes deprioritize girls’ issues, these challenges remain, and any rollback of support risks setting progress back by decades. Sustained investment is essential to break these barriers, maintain momentum, and ensure that the gains we have made translate into lasting, equitable outcomes for girls worldwide.
Even as global priorities shift or funding landscapes deprioritize girls’ issues, these challenges remain, and any rollback of support risks setting progress back by decades. Sustained investment is essential to break these barriers, maintain momentum, and ensure that the gains we have made translate into lasting, equitable outcomes for girls worldwide.
If every girl had access to the support and leadership opportunities the Institute champions, what would the world look like?
If every girl had access to the support and leadership opportunities the Institute champions, the world would be one where girls have the agency to shape their own futures and the freedom to pursue their dreams on their own terms.
They would live fuller, more empowered lives, contributing to their communities in ways that reflect their choices and strengths. In such a world, cycles of inequality would be challenged, not because girls are expected to solve systemic problems, but because empowering them naturally strengthens families, communities, and society as a whole.
They would live fuller, more empowered lives, contributing to their communities in ways that reflect their choices and strengths. In such a world, cycles of inequality would be challenged, not because girls are expected to solve systemic problems, but because empowering them naturally strengthens families, communities, and society as a whole.