MDG#3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women submitted by the SAGE India team

UNiting the nation!

18minus aims for socio-political empowerment of children under the age of eighteen, including girls, who constitute o ver 2 2 5 m i l l i o n o f t h e under-eighteen population. Whether it is in the public or private sphere, women continue to be denied opportunities to participate in the decision-making process . The s u p p re s s i o n o f w o m e n’s voices in many spheres, whether deliberate or resulting from long -standing discriminatory social and cultural norms, contributes to the persistence of gender inequality and limits human development.

Solving the situation: 18minus’ XLR8 program provides young girls with safe spaces to discuss sensitive issues, challenge social norms and gender discrimination, gain knowledge needed to exercise one’s rights and participate in the civic engagement process, and most importantly - propose solutions to the government. In the XLR8 program, talented young changemakers are promoted to the next tier, irrespective of their gender. In this way, 18minus is completely against discrimination of any sort. We impart gender-neutral knowledge to stimulate gender-sensitive discussion. "

When girls are empowered, they have the freedom and confidence to access their rights and the resources they need in order to lead lives free of discrimination, and in turn, empower other women. "

Measuring impact: Our #StopThisFelony campaign united urban India as they came together to fight the heinous crime of rape. Teenagers were asked to send in their opinion, which was then compiled and sent to the Bangalorean Parliament as the official Voice of the Youth."

The immediate impact was that people’s rage and anger manifested into something tangible and constitutionally valid. Our empowered volunteers took one step further, and reached out to over 50,000 people by organising protest marches and writing petitions. The biggest impact however, was that the authorities paid attention to the protest marches organised by our volunteers, and took administrative changes to deter rape from happening."

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18MINUSWhere do we stand?

In most Indian households, women are not even allowed to discuss extremely pertinent issues in front of male members for the fear of being “culturally non-conforming.” This familial neglect begets societal apathy, which in the long run, manifests into women’s rights becoming a tabooed topic.

What does 18minus believe?

Empowering girls to be agents of change is one of 18minus’ core values and principles. As an organisation, more than half of our direct core team is female.

As always, we have believed that changes in policy are the most powerful way social barriers can be overcome, and with the 18minus XLR8 program, we plan to give the youth the power to make their opinion matter. 18minus undertakes a holistic approach that address all the facets of the issue - including, but not limited to efforts to provide girls with skill, information, resources and most importantly, an encouraging atmosphere to utilise the former three.

How is 18minus making an impact?

In India, women are often encouraged develop just domestic skills, but at the XLR8 program, we comprehensively reverse the many ways adolescent girls are routinely disempowered and made vulnerable by honing their inherent leadership qualities and developing their articulateness. An empowered girl grows up to be empowered women, who in turn teaches others about gender equality, contributes to raising the economic status of their families and communities, and holds their governments accountable for securing their rights. Most of all, they become agents of change for a new world - one that is free of gender inequality - for the next generation of girls.

As Malala Yousafzai famously said, “I raise my voice not so that I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard.”