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), it is rare to find any for community-based organisations that are focused entirely on girls - and free 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 by adults and a girl leaders from their programme
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 our flagship convening. Since launching in Nairobi in 2017, it has unified and trained grassroots leaders who are changing how their communities value girls.
The Girls First Summit is 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. We train girls on how to share our resources - such as a card game to teach healthy relationships, or a Period Diary - with their peers back home.
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