The Image that Took My Breath Away

A few days ago, I came across this chart, and it took my breath away.
 

 
It is difficult to find words to follow these statistics.
 
It is difficult to know what — as a woman living in a different world — I can do about this reality.
 
But of course, I’m not really living in a different world. I’m living in the same world, on the same planet, and there is so much I can do. I can give money. I can learn about the issues. I can talk to the people in my life about them. I can volunteer.
 
There is so much we can each do.
 
Last year I organized an collaborative effort of bloggers coming together to write about the importance of investing in girls in the developing world. I’m doing it again this year but BIGGER, aiming to mobilize 1000 bloggers to write about The Girl Effect on October 4th.
 
The statistics are sobering, but fundamentally, there is more to be hopeful about than to despair about. There is actually so much to be excited about: We now know that when girls are educated just a few additional years in school, they marry later and suffer less spousal violence. They grow into women who can support themselves and their families, often pulling their entire communities out of poverty. There is a growing awareness among decision makers, policy folks, and the philanthropic public that investing in girls is smart investing to end poverty and human rights abuses.
 
Spreading that world-changing idea is what The Girl Effect Blogging Campaign is all about. I want to invite you to add your voice to the Blogging Campaign on October 4th. It’s not about being an expert. It’s about having a touchpoint of care, connection, interest in this issue – and sharing about that on your blog.
 
If you are a blogger, visit HERE to learn more & SIGN UP.
 
If you don’t have a blog, you can still be a part of the campaign, by reading and sharing the Girl Effect posts that week (don’t worry, I’ll point you to them when the time comes!) and, in the meantime, by sharing this link with people in your network.
 Click here to participate in the blogging campaign!
 
Love,
 
Tara