#SayNoToTrafficking: why solidarity matters in campaigning

My name is Isabelle and I am one of 24 members of the Youth Advisory Panel (YAP) here at Plan International UK.

We are the voice of young people for the organisation. We provide a youth perspective, advising on how to engage with young people and ensuring that young people are at the heart of everything Plan International UK does.

Standing with brave girls in Nigeria

Last year, Gift, Tama and their fellow youth advocates took a stand against the trafficking of girls and young women in Nigeria, launching their #NoToTrafficking campaign.

We know that girls in remote and marginalised communities are the most vulnerable to trafficking and exploitation, particularly in crisis-hit areas like those in north-east Nigeria. To see a girl-led movement working to put a stop to this is awe-inspiring.

That’s why, as fellow youth advocates, we felt it was important to show girls in Nigeria that we’re standing in solidarity with them as they say ‘enough is enough’ to exploitation and abuse.

To make that happen, we helped to create this video:

In the UK, many members of YAP are young campaigners and know from personal experience how hard it is to push for change in our communities.

It’s the support we receive from each other that helps us to keep going, which is why solidarity is such a vital part of any campaign.

Knowing that people around the world are supporting you is even more motivating and can give you the strength to overcome the most challenging roadblocks.

Our message – together with the thousands of you who have taken a stand and added your name to the campaign – is an incredibly powerful way of making sure that institutions and changemakers take notice of and act on the experiences and advice that girls are sharing.

Making a difference

As young people, we need to appreciate that we have the power to make a positive difference in the world. We will always be stronger in the pursuit of a shared goal, whether that’s in the UK or in Nigeria.

Globally there are 1.2 billion young people in the world aged 15 to 24. If we harness the power of our demographic, we can create a real difference to the lives of young people everywhere and achieve it together.