Girl Rising

Girl Rising

Girl Rising is a global advocacy campaign and multimedia project that uses storytelling, documentary film, and educational resources to promote girls' rights and expand access to primary and secondary schooling for girls worldwide. Conceived as a collaboration between filmmakers, writers, and development organizations, the project interweaves first-person narratives about nine girls from different countries with celebrity narrators, aiming to influence policymakers, funders, and communities. The initiative links artistic production with programmatic interventions delivered through partner NGOs, foundations, and campaign networks.

Background and Origins

The initiative was launched by film producer Tom Yellin and executive producer Mandy McGrath in collaboration with the nonprofit Girl Rising, Inc. and partnered with organizations such as Save the Children, Plan International, and CARE. Development drew on support from philanthropic institutions including the Nike Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and the Omidyar Network. Creative direction involved filmmakers associated with Participant Media and writers commissioned from literary figures like Ted Conover and Loung Ung, while narrative framing was shaped by advisors from UNICEF and the United Nations policy community. The project emerged amid international initiatives such as the Millennium Development Goals and the later Sustainable Development Goals, reflecting a strategic alignment with advocacy agendas around girls' rights and global development.

Film and Media Projects

The centerpiece documentary, released in 2013, intercuts the biographies of nine girls from countries including Nepal, Peru, Sierra Leone, Egypt, India, Afghanistan, Cambodia, Ethiopia, and Senegal. Each segment was written by a local or internationally recognized author and narrated by prominent figures such as Maya Angelou, Salma Hayek, Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Lupita Nyong'o, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Cate Blanchett, and Aamir Khan. Directors for individual segments included filmmakers with credits connected to projects screened at festivals like the Sundance Film Festival and institutions such as the Tribeca Film Festival. The soundtrack, composed by Danny Elfman, accompanied screenings that toured festivals, community venues, and educational settings, while short films and social media content amplified outreach through platforms linked to YouTube, Facebook, and international broadcasters like the BBC and Al Jazeera.

Educational Programs and Impact

Beyond theatrical distribution, the project produced curricula, teacher guides, and classroom modules designed in partnership with education NGOs including Room to Read, Camfed, and BRAC. These materials were tailored to organizations operating in regions served by USAID, the Global Partnership for Education, and national ministries such as the Ministry of Education (Nepal). Evaluation efforts referenced methodologies used by research institutions like Harvard University, Columbia University, and University of Oxford to measure outcomes linked to enrollment, retention, and learning. Implementation pilots occurred in collaboration with community groups associated with Save the Children programming in Sierra Leone and with local partners in Peru. Impact reports circulated among donor networks, including the Gates Foundation and regional philanthropic consortia, while advocacy coalitions used the film as a tool during events at venues such as the United Nations General Assembly and policy forums convened by The Brookings Institution.

Partnerships and Funding

Funding came from a mix of philanthropic, corporate, and nonprofit partners. Early supporters included the Nike Foundation and the Skoll Foundation, and corporate partners provided in-kind promotion through media companies like Participant Media and distribution partners including Fathom Events and public broadcasting entities such as PBS. Strategic partnerships linked the campaign to humanitarian and development agencies including CARE International, Plan International, Save the Children, and the UNESCO. The funding model combined grants from private foundations with sponsorships from corporations and proceeds from film screenings, while partnerships with academic institutions facilitated monitoring and evaluation funded by research grants from organizations like the Rockefeller Foundation.

Reception and Criticism

The project received praise from advocates, celebrities, and media outlets for raising awareness and humanizing statistical discussions through storytelling; endorsements came from figures associated with Human Rights Watch and speakers at events organized by Clinton Global Initiative. Critics, however, questioned aspects of representation, narrative framing, and the efficacy of celebrity-driven advocacy. Scholars drawing on work from Amartya Sen-inspired development critiques and postcolonial theorists such as Edward Said argued that some segments risked reinforcing tropes about victimhood and Western saviorism. Commentary published in outlets linked to The Guardian, The New York Times, and academic journals in development studies scrutinized translation of awareness into sustainable policy change and local capacity building. Debates also engaged practitioners from BRAC and Camfed over the balance between media advocacy and long-term program investment. Despite critiques, the campaign influenced funding conversations among donors like the Gates Foundation and spurred collaborations between filmmakers and development organizations to explore ethical storytelling standards.

Category:Documentary films Category:Girls' rights