Girls Count: A Global Investment & Action Agenda

January 30, 2008

The wellbeing of adolescent girls has a decisive impact on developing countries' current and future economic and social prosperity, but girls' needs remain at the margins of global development policies and programs. Why should we pay more attention to girls? What difference can adolescent girls make in achieving positive development outcomes? How can stakeholders initiate effective investments that will give girls in developing countries a full and equal chance for rewarding lives and livelihoods? 

Following a personal statement by a young woman who has experienced many hardships in her own country, the authors of Girls Count: A Global Investment & Action Agenda will present their findings and policy recommendations. Participants will also hear from leading policymakers about key strategies to improve the wellbeing of girls and young women. 

The Center for Global Development, The Population Council 
and The International Center for Research on Women 
present the launch of 
Girls Count: A Global Investment & Action Agenda 

 
With remarks by report authors 
Ruth Levine 
Vice President for Programs and Operations, and Senior Fellow, 
Center for Global Development 

Cynthia Lloyd 
Senior Associate, Poverty, Gender, and Youth Program, 
and Chair, Bixby Fellowship Program, The Population Council 

Margaret Greene 
Director, Population and Social Transitions Team, 
International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) 

and 
Caren Grown 
Economist-in-Residence, Department of Economics, American University 

Discussants include 
Kathy Calvin 
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, 
United Nations Foundation 

Laura Laski
Coordinator, Adolescent/Youth Cluster, Reproductive Health Branch, 
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

Joan Libby-Hawk
Public Affairs Specialist, United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) 

Caroline Ryan 
Director of Program Services, 
Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator 

and 
Gaisu Yari* 
Afghan immigrant, currently seeking asylum from forced marriage and gender discrimination 
*With assistance from Feroza Yari, translator 

Moderated by 
Lawrence MacDonald 
Director of Communications and Policy, Center for Global Development 

Wednesday, January 30, 2008 
10:00am--12:00pm 
Light breakfast provided 

at 
Hilton Washington Embassy Row 
Ambassador Room 
2015 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036 
Closest Metro: Dupont Circle (Red Line) 

The full report can be downloaded here. 

REGISTER ONLINE 

This event is made possible with the generous support from the UN Foundation and the Nike Foundation.