For American girls, an education is often a given. More than that—an expectation. For Pakistani girls, an education is a dream, a wish. Just wanting one is a threat.
In October of 2012, Malala Yousafzai, a 15-year-old Pakistani girl, was shot while riding home on a school bus. Yousafzai is an outspoken activist for girls’ education, also making her a target of the Taliban. Yousafzai survived, though is still a target for her belief in the right to an education.
Yousafzai is not alone. As of 2009, around 35 million girls are still not in school, according to World Bank education statistics. The girls in Sub Saharan Africa make up around half the world’s population of uneducated girls. South Asia makes up around a quarter.
“10 x 10″ is a campaign with a direct message: educating girls in developing countries will change the world. They believe the power of story-telling, whether through film, photos, blogs or books, can make an impact, one large enough to change things like poverty, child mortality, population growth, HIV rates, terrorism and corruption.
Need any more reasons? Check out what 10 x 10 knows, like how a country’s GDP rises 3% when 10% more of its girls receive and education. Or how educating and therefore empowering girls has proven to break generational poverty. Or how educated mothers are 50% more likely to immunize their children, and therefore decrease the malnutrition and HIV rates in their countries.
10 x 10 works with like-minded non-profits, politicians, citizens and celebrities to bring awareness to the lack of access to education for girls globally.
Their feature film, “Girl Rising,” demands attention to the cause, telling the stories of nine girls in nine countries. The screenplay is written by nine celebrated writers and narrated by nine inspiring actresses, including Anne Hathaway, Salma Hayek, Meryl Streep and Cate Blanchett.
With a trailer that could stand alone as inspiring, moving and humbling, 10 x 10’s “Girl Rising” premiers March 7. See the trailer, get the facts and take a stand here.