Hillary Clinton and Tim Peake among top names supporting girls to takeover on International Day of the Girl

Leading figures including Hillary Clinton, astronaut Tim Peake, Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford, Financial Times editor Roula Khalaf, and filmmaker Gurinder Chadha, as well as organisations including AstraZeneca and Office of National Statistics have all partnered with Plan International UK to be part of the exciting Girls Takeover initiative.

The past decade has seen major advances in girls’ rights, from the banning of child marriage in the Dominican Republic to the outlawing of FGM/C in South Sudan¹. Yet all around the world, including here in the UK, girls are discriminated against every day and gender equality is still a long way off. Recent estimates suggest that at current rates of progress, it could take 132 years to achieve full gender equality in politics2.

As part of activities for the day, former United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is handing over her Instagram account and its 5.7 million followers to girls from the UK and US to talk about girls’ political power. She said of the takeover:

“Throughout my career I have seen first-hand how girls are discriminated against for being girls – they are told who they should be, what they should look like, and how they should act. 

“Despite constant barriers to the corridors of power, girls are taking action. They are raising their voices, demanding a seat at the table and refusing to rest until they have achieved full participation. That’s why I’m joining Plan International UK and thousands of girls around the world on International Day of the Girl to stand up for gender equality.’

Rachel, 19, from Northern Ireland, is one of the girls who is taking over Clinton’s account and said:

“Girls’ voices are often dismissed and ignored. We’re told that we’re too young, that the things we care about don’t matter, that the glass ceiling doesn’t exist, but also that we will never break it. Democracy demands representation, and girls deserve to have our voices heard on issues we care about and that impact our lives.

“So many girls are discouraged from getting into politics because we see how female politicians are treated every day. But we need to aim high, and we need to speak out. Not only for ourselves, but for future generations of girls”.  

Astronaut Tim Peake had a one-to-one conversation with Orlaith, 14, about his experiences in science and encouraging more girls into STEM careers and said:

‘I’m delighted to support International Day of the Girl today. It’s been great to speak to Orlaith about her passion for Space and pursuing a career in STEM.

‘I have been lucky enough to achieve many of my dreams throughout my career, and I believe that all girls should be able to do the same - whether that’s here on Earth or up in Space.’ 

Further Girls Takeovers include:

• Jaime, 16, is today taking over Mark Drakeford’s role as the First Minister of Wales. Jaime is attending press conferences and photocalls, taking over the First Minister of Wales social media accounts and leading a discussion at the Hate Crime Awareness Group Meeting Chaired by Social Justice Minister Jane Hutt.
• Award-winning director and producer Gurinder Chadha had a one-to-one conversation with aspiring film-maker Helena, 18, about her experiences in a male-dominated industry.
• Roula Khalaf’s role as editor of the Financial Times, has been taken over by Niamh, 16.  Niamh experienced life at the helm of the FT during unprecedented times for the British economy.
• Sir Ian Diamond, National Statistician welcomed Tianna, 16, into the Office of National Statistics as she took on his role for the day, joining international meetings on the progress of the Sustainable Development Goals.
• Five AstraZeneca senior leaders’ roles were taken over by Jessica, 17, Elodie, 16, Lottie, 16, Nikhita, 18 and Anika, 14. They had the opportunity to learn about the global pharmaceutical industry and took the lead on discussions about gender equality.

Rose Caldwell, CEO of Plan International UK, said:

‘As we celebrate ten years of International Day of the Girl, I’m truly inspired to see girls taking over across the worlds of business, media, entertainment, and politics. Girls tell us they want a seat at the table, but all too often they are undervalued, undermined, and underestimated. Today’s takeovers prove there is growing commitment to championing equal power and gender equality.

‘Yet this commitment mustn’t end on International Day of the Girl, and we call on leaders of all types to consider what they can do to recognise and value the power of girls’ voices - a crucial step if we are to achieve gender equality here in the UK and around the world. Because the power of girls will change the world.’

For more information about Girls’ Takeover, visit our Powered By Girls page.

For further information, photos, videos and interview requests please contact Laura MacLeman on [email protected] / 07515 374555 or the Plan UK Media team on [email protected] / 0300 777 7374

Notes to editors

1. November 2020 and April 2020 respectively.

2. The World Economic Forum estimates that it will now take 132 years to attain full gender parity in politics; according to trends leading up to 2020, the gender gap was set to close within 100 years.