Editoral from Director Alberto Minujin


Posted on 07-08-2010	Translate this page

Dear Friends,

Equity for Children frequently focuses on an aspect of child rights and social policy in depth. Over the last few months, issues related to empowering adolescent girls are at the forefront. Currently, Equity for Children’s features, interviews and research emphasize trends affecting adolescent girls including demographic transitions, the global economic crisis, migration, urbanization and new technologies. Using evidence and data combined with effective programs and policies, we can work together to build an inclusive society that nurtures girls’ skills and mobilizes their talents as leaders.

The April 2010, 5th International UNICEF-Graduate Program in International Affairs (GPIA) Conference, entitled “Adolescent Girls: Cornerstone of Society”, brought 400 individuals to The New School University over the course of three days to discuss, collaborate, think and share information. This website picks up where the conference left off. It explores further the issues discussed at the conference with the purpose of disseminating the ideas and helping to convert them to action.

Equity for Children is proud to feature papers, presentations and videos from the April event. Some interviews conducted outside the conference proceedings, with keynote speakers and other attendees, are presented for the first time. Other papers and sessions are offered on Equity for Children’s website, too. This month, we feature: a video recording of Marta Mauras' keynote speech as well as an exclusive video from the conference with New York Times columnist Nick Kristof; interviews with conference participants about the biggest challenges that adolescent girls face in today’s world and about policies needed to address these challenges; and papers and presentations from Session 2: Realizing the Rights of Girls - New Approaches and Research.

As always, I welcome your thoughts, comments and ideas and hope that you keep visiting our site and enjoying the latest new posts.

Sincerely,

Alberto Minujin
Director