Meet Eve Ensler. Tony Award-winning playright, performer, and activist, Eve is known around the world for her stance on gender-based violence and her collection of work that blends art and activism.

Malala Yousafzai made it to TIME Magazine’s shortlist for Person of the Year, ultimately coming in today as the runner-up.

Last month, I spent a beautiful and chilly afternoon at George Washington University (GWU) as a speaker on the panel, "Violence against Girls: From Child Marriage to Dating Violence."
 

Over the years, as the movement for adolescent girls has grown, these words have become a mantra here at Girl Up. In light of the tragic news we heard yesterday, we feel that they’ve never held truer than in the case of Malala Yousafzai.

Women and girls should be able to live a life free from violence and harm, and yet more than 50 percent of women and girls in many countries experience domestic violence. Take action! Sign the CARE Voices Against Violence petition and speak out against violence.

The G(irls)20 Summit concluded on May 29 after two full days of presentations by some of the most passionate, inspirational women and men, who spend their daily lives fighting for women and girls.

Everybody has the right to live free from violence. Yet millions of girls and women across the world are denied this right. In every region and in every country, rich or poor, in times of peace and war, girls and women suffer disproportionately from violence, simply because they are born female.

Ever stop to think about all the people who helped you along the way? I bet there’s a long list — family, teachers, friends, band members, soccer teammates, religious leaders and more. All of these people help us get through tough times.

For girls in Malawi, Liberia, Guatemala, and Ethiopia, getting an education is not as simple as showing up for kindergarten in September. Many different factors determine her chance to make it through elementary school — how much money her family has, if she has time to go to school, if the school (and the walk to and from school) is safe and secure, and if her parents believe that education for their daughter is a priority.

Happy 2011!  As the New Year rolls in, and everyone is setting their goals and resolutions for the year, we decided to join in and set some goals of our own!

Over the past few weeks, you may have seen some of our blogs on violence against girls. Every day, a woman or girl is a victim of violence. Did you know that violence kills or harms as many women and girls between the ages of 15 and 44 as cancer?

This week, we are talking about the issue of violence against girls and what Girl Up is doing to help make a difference. Some of the most at-risk girls are forced into marriage or relationships when they are still young children.

I grew up in the U.S., in a small house with a backyard and a dog, in a safe neighborhood (as a kid, I thought it was kind of boring) in Tampa, Florida. I knew the basic rules about safety — don’t talk to strangers, never get in a car with someone you don’t know, look both ways before you cross the street, and as I got older, there were of course all sorts of rules about boys.

One of the UN’s jobs is to keep peace around the world, and this is a big job.  In the United States, we can vote in an election once we turn 18 and know that our vote will be counted.  We don’t wake up on a daily basis worrying that the building we go to school or work in will be bombed.  But some people do.

I’ve spent more time away from home than at home lately, but I’m so fortunate to have the chance to meet some incredible people on my trips to Africa to meet with our UN, government, and NGO partners.