When we educate girls, we build healthier families, stronger communities, and a brighter future for all. Unfortunately today, more than 130 million girls around the world are not in school.
One reason for this harsh statistic is that every day, girls around the world find themselves in the midst of a water and sanitation crisis. In too many communities, schools do not have adequate bathrooms, which keeps girls from going to school during their periods once they reach puberty.
On July 7, the UK government, in partnership with Global Citizen + CHIME FOR CHANGE, co-hosted the Girls’ Education Forum. In the lead up to the event Global Citizens took almost 100,000 actions to rally key decision-makers to agree on a concrete plan to ensure that every girl has access to quality education.
On that day over 20 organizations and governments, including the UK, US, Norway, Canada, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Afghanistan, signed up to support the new Statement of Action for girls’ education. Through this plan we can ensure that every girl can go to school and learn. Now we need more governments like Sweden to sign up and to make concrete political and financial commitments in support of the Statement of Action at the UN General Assembly in September.
Last year, Sweden – the first self-declared “feminist government” – pledged to provide 60 million people with improved sanitation. The Swedish government said it would deliver upon this commitment by 2030, but it has not yet gotten started making good on that promise. Creating a more equal future starts with quality and appropriate sanitation facilities for girls in schools.
We need to make sure Sweden sticks to its word by turning talk into action. Sweden will attend World Water Week in Stockholm later this month, and on August 29, Global Citizens will hand over this petition to the Swedish government.
Sign the petition and send a tweet to Sweden asking them to sign up to the Girls’ Education Action Statement in order to help girls and women complete their education through adequate sanitation.
Learn More: This Jazzy Invention Means No Girl Has to Miss School Because of Her Period