I was born a girl

I was born a girl

I was born a girl

Not because it is my fault to be a girl but

because it is my chance to be a girl and

to give other girls the same chance.

Not because I was smaller

but because I could grow to be great,

helping other girls to grow to be greater.

Not greater than others.

Only the same size.

I was born a girl so that

I could be a woman, like me.

I was born a girl, born to be the future.

From the moment I was born,

my future was mine.

At this moment, I am my future.

My thoughts, my actions, my words.

My future is ours.

I was born a girl, so I could grow up

to be the woman of the future.

 

 

Minna Pietarinen

2022

Malala Yousafzai

The Right to Education

 

It is no exaggeration to say that Malala Yousafzai has forever changed the world for millions of women and girls. The young Pakistani rose to the world's attention in 2012, when the Taliban shot the then 14-year-old Malala Yousafzai in the face while she was riding a bus. Malala was the intended target of the attack, as she had already become a well-known defender of girls' and women's rights in her community. In 2014, Yousafzai founded the Malala Foundation and became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. Malala has dedicated her life to defending the status of girls and women, often risking her own safety and even her life. She is particularly profiled as a staunch defender of the right to education, and her foundation, the Malala Fund, promotes the right of girls to quality, safe and free education around the world.

 

Malala has said that she does not share her own story because it is unique, but because it is not. Like Malala, tens of millions of girls have to fight every day for their right to education and study just because they are girls. Around the world, girls are being excluded from education because they are still seen as inferior to boys in society. For girls, education is often the key to opportunities, options and making their own choices. When girls are excluded from schools, they are not only deprived of one fundamental human right, but several rights. When girls are not in school, the risk of many other human rights violations also increases significantly.

 

Malala's experience may not be unique in all respects, but it is clear that Malala Yousafzai as a person is unique. She has harnessed a traumatic experience as a force to change the world for the better for millions of girls and women. Malala Yousafzai is an example of the incredible things just one human being is capable of.

"We only understand the meaning of our voices when we have been silenced." They tried to silence Malala in the most shocking way possible, but it served only to raise her voice even higher. Now it is our responsibility to listen and act so that every girl in the world can learn and live safely.

 

According to UN Women, up to 110 million girls and young women will be excluded from education by 2030. UN Women works around the world with governments, authorities and other local actors to ensure that every girl and woman has the opportunity for high-quality and safe schooling.

The poems are translated and read by Peppi Stünkel

UN Women is the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. A global champion for women and girls, UN Women was established to accelerate progress on meeting the needs of women and girls worldwide. UN Women Finland is the Finnish National Committee of UN Women. The accompanying texts telling the stories of the women in the paintings and the rights that are depicted were written by Emma Winiecki, Head of Communications for UN Women Finland.