When Girls Lead

Context 

Girls and young women continue to face significant barriers to equality and leadership. In consultations with Girl Guides and Girl Scouts from more than 100 countries, participants identified gender inequality, pressure to conform, lack of safety and low confidence and self-esteem as key challenges. While these issues take different forms across contexts, they reflect a shared struggle for equal opportunities and voice. 

These barriers are reinforced when women are absent from decision-making. Without women’s perspectives and experiences at the table, the needs of girls and young women are less likely to be reflected in policies, institutions and priorities, limiting progress toward gender equality. Yet women remain significantly underrepresented in leadership: they hold only 27.5% of seats in national parliaments globally, falling to 17% in Central and Southern Asia. 

When girls recognise themselves as leaders, they take on more leadership positions. When girls lead, we can hope to see a more equal world where every and any girl can thrive.  

Goals 

• Enable girls and young women to develop their leadership and grow as global citizens. 
• Create meaningful connections across borders between girls, young women and adult volunteers which build mutual understanding and foster intercultural dialogue. 
• Empower girls and young women to take on leadership and decision-making roles in their communities.  

Activities

This project seeks to respond by helping girls and young women build the confidence, skills and leadership mindsets to participate, influence decisions and help shape their communities by creating supportive, youth-centered spaces where they can build confidence, practice leadership skills and challenge gendered assumptions about who can lead.  

The project may include activities such as:  

• Leadership development seminars: a blended online and in-person program for Girl Guides and Scouts aged 18-30 from around the world to develop their leadership skills, then create and deliver a social change project in their community focused on overcoming a leadership barrier. 
• Leadership development experiences: international volunteering opportunities for Girl Guides and Scouts over the age of 18 such as volunteering at a World Centre for 3 months.  
• Leadership development workshops: national level workshops delivered to deliver more focused leadership development for girls and young women aged 14-30.  

Myriad Canada is working with the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) on this project, a nonprofit whose mission is to enable girls and young women to develop their fullest potential as responsible citizens of the world. 

Myriad Canada’s role is to carry out charitable activities across the globe in accordance with its charitable purposes. We control and monitor the use of funds and the progress of charitable activities to ensure that donations made to Myriad Canada have the greatest impact. As a member of the Myriad Alliance with offices in Canada, the US, Europe, Asia and Australia, Myriad Canada has a vast international network and extensive practical expertise. 

How to support this project? 

By credit card: At the top right of this page, indicate the amount you wish to donate, and make the donation online by credit card. You will receive a receipt for tax purposes by e-mail just a few minutes after making the donation. It is simple and quick! 

By cheque: 

• Make your cheque out to Myriad Canada. 

• IMPORTANT NOTE: We receive a lot of cheques! You must please indicate “Project C214 – When Girls Lead” in the memo line of your cheque to ensure that it is allocated correctly. 

• Mail your cheque to: Myriad Canada, 1 Place Ville Marie, Suite 1670, Montreal, QC, H3B 2B6, Canada. 

By Direct Deposit: 

• For transfer instructions, please email or call Caroline Chaulet: caroline@myriadcanada.org or +1 438 300 8122. 

For Donation of Securities:  

• Please email or call Caroline Chaulet: caroline@myriadcanada.org or +1 438 300 8122. 

For Monthly Donations: 

• We use CanadaHelps. Please find the link here. 

If you need any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us. 

All donations are eligible for a tax receipt in Canada. 

The projects are managed with the greatest care and professionalism.