Day of the Girl: Girls everywhere will rule the world!

Portrait of Samira, Somaliland schoolgirl

10 October 2019

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What would you do if you ruled the world?

We asked schoolgirls in Somaliland and in England: what would you do if you ruled the world?

Layla from Somaliland:

If I ruled the world, first of all I’d make sure there is justice and I’d encourage people to get an education. Especially those who didn’t go to school but have reached school-age.

Going to school is like someone going from darkness to light."

Portrait of Layla, Somaliland schoolgirl

Rosa from the UK:

I’d give all women equal rights and change the environment to make the earth a better place to live on. I think you can do anything if you put your mind to it, and no one could stop you. It’s just your gender, it doesn’t make a difference to who you are."

Portrait of Rosa, UK schoolgirl

Jamila from Somaliland:

I would promote women’s education. It is important we share roles with men, like being community leaders. We can get female ministers and a female president. It is important for me that women get these roles. Many of these go to men alone, and women aren’t considered.

Nothing can stop me to rule the world."

Portrait of Jamila, Somaliland schoolgirl

Heather from the UK:

I'd make sure everyone is equal and that we all have food and shelter. I don’t think anything is stopping me, I just have to work for it, and try and be the best I can be."

Portrait of Heather, Uk schoolgirl

Farah from Somaliland:

I believe if girls get married at an early age it negatively affects their future and causes them to drop out from school and they cannot find jobs later. So I’d encourage women to continue their education. They will have a better life for their children and families."

Portrait of Farah, Somaliland schoolgirl

Ayekaba from the UK:

I think that education is really important as it helps us achieve whatever we need. If I were to rule the world for the day I’d give everyone an opportunity to go to school.

If I could rule the world I’d make sure that there’s equality and that everyone is treated equally."

Portrait of Ayekaba, UK schoolgirl

Rahma from Somaliland:

If I ruled the world I would change a lot of things. I would establish hospitals. I would promote women’s education and produce educated mothers. Because when the mother is educated, she produces educated children."

Portrait of Rahma, Somaliland schoolgirl

Lottie from the UK:

I’d do everything I could to stop climate change. I’d stop gender pay inequality. I’d help homeless people and people with disabilities and people who don’t get as much help.

It’s a bit harder for women to get into big roles compared to men, but if I work hard there’s nothing stopping me… [I would] make it known it’s wrong for men and women not be equal and help women get into bigger roles so they can have equal opportunities with men."

Portrait of Lottie, UK schoolgirl

Ela from the UK:

If I ruled the world I’d make sure everyone lives an equal life and that the gender pay gap is stopped and that everyone can be happy no matter who they are and where they are. I might not be able to accomplish all the things I want to do, but if I try hard and I push myself even more, then I probably will be able to do those things."

Portrait of Ela, UK schoolgirl

Fatima from Somaliland:

There are currently a lack of opportunities for women in administrative positions. A government can’t do well if it doesn’t give many positions to women. Women need equal access to jobs, education and health.

I would encourage women that they can do whatever men can do."

Portrait of Fatima, Somaliland schoolgirl

Kauther from the UK:

If I ruled the world, I would give women equal pay, in fact higher pay. I’d give women higher pay! And also, I’d make sure there’s no more violence towards women, like men being physically and verbally violent towards them… Women’s voices aren’t heard as much, they [men] would take it as a joke, like we aren’t serious. If we did [rule the world], men would get angry. The roles would be reversed, they’d have to do what the suffragettes did, and start a commotion!"

Portrait of schoolgirl

Samsan from Somaliland:

School is so important for personal development. If I ruled the world I will also empower women and increase the quality of their education, so they can overcome every challenge they face.

Women can become doctors, nurses, and serve at hospitals. Work in offices, become professors. All of these things."

Portrait of Samsan, Somaliland schoolgirl

Niobe from the UK:

I would make sure that everyone is equal and I would give everyone fair choices. I think political leaders aren’t really sharing their power and they aren’t really asking other people’s opinions, they are just listening to their own ideas and getting people to follow them. If you are sharing the power, you would get everyone to say what they think would be right and get to an agreement.

I think education is important, as without you aren’t going to get anywhere, you aren’t going to get that far in life."

Portrait of Niobe, UK schoolgirl

Mariam from Somaliland:

If I rule the world for a day, I would take advantage of it. I would also focus on development of education – the education of women of the world. So they can take their part in this world and gain dignity, and become honorable people in the world.

Girls can have a lack of interest in education – they face discouragement from people. They say - you are a girl, you can’t learn. This world isn’t yours and just stay at home.

It is all about how you see yourself. I say nothing can stop me. I see myself reaching my goals. I can reach where I want. And if I believe I can, I can reach it."

Portrait of Marian, Somaliland schoolgirl

Fajer from the UK:

I would personally help the environment, and try and help charities as well. People are more likely to listen to boys, that’s my personal opinion. I feel that it’s really unfair, we are all human and we should all be treated fairly."

Portrait of Fajer, UK schoolgirl

Esme from the UK:

I’d make sure everyone is equal and there’s no discrimination and everyone has rights to same education. I think the current world leaders aren’t doing a good enough job to solve these problems and they are in the way at the moment, of us achieving our goal, as climate change will end the world soon."

Portrait of Esme, UK schoolgirl

Samira from Somaliland:

Going to school is so important to me because my future is depending on it. If I rule the world for a day, I would increase the number of schools.

Nothing can stop me."

Portrait of Samira, Somaliland schoolgirl

Helping girls in Somalia go to school – and stay in school

CARE is helping girls in Somalia to gain an education by addressing the wider reasons why girls don’t go to school – such as pressure to drop out of school at puberty, due to girls’ education not been viewed a priority; having to help in the household and care for siblings; or even facing the prospect of early (child) marriage.

Our project provides tailored support to school-aged girls and their families, to help girls stay in school, transition from primary into secondary school, or enrol in non-formal classes if they have already been out of school for some time. Since the project began in 2014, target schools have seen improved reading comprehension, reading and subtraction. Within the first three years of the project, girls’ enrolment in school has increased by 30%.

The Somali Girls’ Education Promotion Project is funded by UK Aid through the Girls’ Education Challenge Fund, with additional support from the players of the People’s Postcode Lottery.

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