Three UN agencies support GLOW initiative

Three UN agencies support the Girls Leading Our World initiative in Samoa

Apia, 3rd of November 2015 – Three United Nations agencies - UNWomen, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) – donated a total of USD 3,000 to the Girls Leading Our World (GLOW) for its upcoming conference this month.

GLOW is a worldwide Peace Corps initiative that seeks to empower women and girls through workshops, capacity building, and camps that teach girls and young women the skills they need to be effective leaders in their communities and among their peers.

UN Women has been funding the Girls Leading Our World (GLOW) programme since its inception, back in 2012, and ILO started supporting the initiative two years ago under their commitment to youth employment. This year UNDP is also joining and for the first time three United Nations agencies are funding collectively this ground breaking programme.

“Encouraging girls to take their righful part in society at all levels and giving them the tools they need to be leaders among their peers is crucial to fulfill human development. I am pleased that three UN agencies are providing support to the Peace Corps and that we are helping them to move the GLOW initiative forward.”- said Ms. Lizbeth Cullity, UN Resident Coordinator and Resident Representative for UNDP.

2015 marks the fourth year for GLOW in Samoa. From November 10th to 14th 32 girls and 16 women community leaders from 16 villages from across the country will be participating in the three-day programme that will be held at Papauta All Girls School.

“It is extremely rewarding to support the GLOW programme which will help – amongst other things - educating Samoan girls on how to prevent domestic violence against women and children in their communities” – added Suisala Mele Maualaivao, UN Women Country Programme Coordinator.

At the conference, students will listen to speakers and participate in activities based around a Career Development Day, during which girls will learn about traditional and non-traditional career options, a Women’s Health Day to educate girls about health, and encourage them to respect themselves and their bodies through making healthy choices, and an End Violence in Samoa Day to empower girls to stop violence against women and children in their communities.

This year ILO is partnering with the Samoa Qualifications Authority (SQA) to deliver a session on career development and youth employment to the participants.

“The GLOW conference represents an excellent opportunity to create awareness among young girls on career goals and aspirations. ILO and SQA in our existing partnership to reach out to students will be hosting the session to give the participants guidance on their future employment,” said Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson, Project Coordinator for the Samoa National Action Plan on Youth Employment for ILO in Samoa.

Apart from the three United Nations agencies, approximately 15 other organizations are sponsoring the GLOW programme.

ENDS

© Scoop Media