New Delhi: On International Day of the Girls (IDG) Plan India’s 30 Girl Changemakers from all over India tookover leadership positions of Ambassadors, High Commissioners across Diplomatic Missions, Corporates and Government bodies for the day. Through these symbolic takeovers, these highly determined gender champions smashed gender stereotypes, encouraged positive discourses, called out on discriminatory social norms and mobilised supporters for a gender equal society.

Representing Plan India’s eight intervention states including Rajasthan, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Odisha, West Bengal and Delhi, these Girl Changemakers exhibited strength and leadership for the day as part of a larger effort to reinforce the cause of gender equality.

Mr. Mohammed Asif, Executive Director, Plan India, said, “I believe that each and every girl has the potential to succeed in areas that she chooses to. What holds her back are gender barriers that brings forth social and economic challenges towards her participation. Initiatives such as Girls’ Takeover’ facilitates coming together of allies and girls to further the mandate of gender equality and address these issues. Though symbolic in nature, by occupying such positions of power the Girl Changemakers are able to amplify their voice to a larger audience. It also serves as an inspiration for them as they go about planning for their career and a prominent role in the society.

Ms. Orly Goldschmidt, Head of Public Diplomacy, Embassy of Israel in India, “It was our great pleasure to collaborate with Plan India on such an important campaign. We were very happy to welcome Samta in our Embassy. She is a bright, young girl, with lots of dreams and ambitions. Interacting with her and getting to know her was inspiring. I wish her all the best for her future endeavours.”

Girl Changemaker, Pushpa from Uttar Pradesh, commented on the Takeover initiative “‘Girls’ Takeovers’ concluded today will help change how parents and society view them. Girls from various walks of life have successfully achieved their dreams and the International Day of the Girl is a dedication to them as well. The takeovers helped us to be heard, our opinion understood and also exposed us to opportunities we are not aware of yet. Every girl should be independent and this initiative can change society by giving girls a stepping stone towards independence.”

Plan led the global effort to build a coalition of support behind IDG, securing backing from the Canadian government which took this request to the United Nations. Over the years, Plan has worked with girls and multi-sectoral partners alike to launch global actions on girls’ rights. Thus, every year on IDG, girls from Plan India supported communities take over leadership roles in political, economic, corporate and social spaces, stepping into the shoes of influential leaders and experts, fulfilling their responsibilities, and demonstrating their power and potential to lead the way into the future.