Building a stronger ecosystem to advance the movement for girls' rights
Convenings
We do convenings differently
While there are many NGO conferences (with high registration costs), there are far fewer designed for community-based organisations that focus entirely on supporting girls -- and have no cost to attend.
Our convenings are uniquely known for:
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practical takeaways and tools
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building community among local leaders
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engaging funders in non-transactional networking
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a dual participation -- adult leaders attend with a girl leader from their programmes
10
Years
of hosting professional development at no cost to grassroots leaders
573
Organisations
in attendance since 2016
>40%
of attendees
redesign their programmes with girls within 90 days of attending the Summit
>33%
of attendees
collaborate with an organisation they met at the Summit
The Girls First Summit is the flagship convening of the Girls First Institute. Since its launch in Nairobi in 2017, it has unified and trained grassroots leaders who are challenging cultural norms and changing how their communities value girls.
The Girls First Summit is now held annually in both Nairobi and Kampala, creating opportunities for collaboration, learning, and partnership for 180+ leaders representing hyper-local organisations working on the frontlines with girls experiencing high risk of teen pregnancy, gender-based violence, FGM, and child marriage. Sessions tackle complex topics through approaches to girl-centred program design, feminist mentorship, and sexual and reproductive health and rights. Attendees request what sessions they want us to offer, including on fundraising, storytelling, and networking.
Every Girls First Summit features speaking roles for girls, who are treated as experts, and an enriching track of programming that runs simultaneously to sessions for their adult mentors. Girls are trained to use our resources -- such as a card game to teach healthy relationships, or a Period Diary -- so that they can share them with other girls back home.
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Ellas Al Frente
Ellas al Frente is one of our certification programmes that offers a convening of the same name. If follows a similar format -- community organisations from across the region can sign up for two adult leaders and one girl leader to attend the full-day training in Antigua, Guatemala.
Central America
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Global Gatherings
Girl Rising also contributes to global conversations on girls’ rights by participating in major international convenings.
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Virtual Convenings
Since 2020, we’ve hosted the Virtual Girls First Summit for organisations that cannot travel to Nairobi or Kampala. It provides a space for capacity building and connection with CBOs across the world. Organisations can continue collaborating through the Girls First Network WhatsApp group to build community.
Global
The Girls First Institute also contributes to global conversations on girls’ rights by participating in major international convenings. [slideshow] Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) Women Deliver Regional gatherings focused on girls’ rights and youth leadership
To come