Girl Up

Girl Up’s Coalition Leaders unite Girl Up Clubs and their communities in the movement for global gender equality. They are fearless and motivated activists, committed to supporting, mentoring, and activating a powerful generation of changemakers taking action for girls around the world.

Typically high school students, Coalition Leaders are responsible for supporting the advocacy and fundraising efforts of Girl Up Club and Campus chapters in their Coalition. A Girl Up Coalition is composed of at least five Girl Up chapters at the city, state, or country level. Coalitions Leaders recruit and work with a team of club members to manage the Coalition’s collaborative efforts, compile action plans and budgets, host regular events including an annual Coalition Summit, and represent Girl Up globally – showing the world the power and value of girls.

“Last year, our Coalition hosted a variety of events, including a self-defense workshop for teenage girls and a menstrual product drive supporting homeless women in San Antonio,” said 2021 Central Texas Coalition Leader Meghana Vinay. “This year, our goal is to provide educational resources for underserved students and raise awareness about the gender gap in STEM careers.”

There are 62 young changemakers in the 2021-22 class of Coalition Leaders, chosen for their demonstrated leadership, activism, and passion for Girl Up’s mission. This year’s cohort leads 44 Coalitions in 14 countries — Albania, Bangladesh, Canada, England, India, Kosovo, Malawi, Mexico, North Macedonia, Peru, Scotland, Serbia, Tanzania, and the United States.

“Being a part of Girl Up’s diverse community has helped me become a more open-minded and inclusive leader,” 2021 Tamil Nadu Coalition Leader Athrukshna Balakrishnan said. “I am excited to continue to grow my own leadership skills through the Coalition Leader program, while supporting my peers in becoming more empathetic and, consequently, more impactful leaders themselves.

Coalition Leaders are key to Girl Up’s movement, made up of 5,000 Clubs in 130 countries. They serve with Girl Up for a one year term, advocating for social good and driving global change.

“In my role as a Girl Up Coalition Leader, I hope to empower young women to make a positive impact in their community and help provide the support and resources necessary to improve their understanding of global women’s issues,” said 2021 Central Florida Coalition Leader Nayanika Owens. “I am also looking forward to learning from my fellow Coalition Leaders and embracing new ideas and perspectives.”

The 2021-2022 class of Girl Up Coalition Leaders and affiliated Coalitions include: