Peace Memo

To: English 1311

From: Amanda Ahumada

Date: January 11, 2011

Subject: The Coalition for Adolescent Girls

The Coalition for Adolescent Girls was created to help transform the social norm of poverty driven countries. The top 10 goals of this organization are: To give adolescent girls an officially recognized identification, collect data on adolescent girls and disaggregate it by age and gender to assess whether programs are reaching adolescent girls, increase funding for adolescent girls-and track what it achieves, expand opportunities for girls to attend secondary school, re-focus HIV/AIDS prevention strategies to focus on adolescent girls, re-orient health delivery systems to work for adolescent girls, economically empower adolescent girls by building and protecting their assets, make the law work for adolescent girls, equip adolescent girls to advocate for themselves and their communities, and mobilize communities, families, men and boys to support adolescent girls. Because everyone will be registered as newborns, they will have access to health services and education. The coalition provides government issued IDs for all boys and girls over the age of 10. This will help reduce underage marriage and reduce social and economic exploitation. By collecting data, the organization is able to increase accountability, share learning’s, target solutions, demonstrate success, and catalyze more sources. Increasing funds enables the coalition to assemble resources from foundations and corporations to meet the girls’ needs. Funding also provides schooling for all girls through lower secondary school. The girls are also educated about their rights as well as HIV/AIDS through prevention programs. Also, HIV resources are tracked to ensure that they are delivered and help to benefit the girls. The health delivery systems offer accessible, customized, confidential, and non judgmental services.  Another goal that the coalition is trying to reach is the protection of the girls’ assets.  What they are taught is being enhanced to build a marketable skill. To promote transitions to safe and productive livelihoods, the coalition is developing internships, apprenticeships and training opportunities. Hopefully with all of the education provided, the girls will be able to educate those around them, but also be leaders in their communities. They can help to enforce the laws and policies that improve and ensure their rights. This will help to advance the lives of their families but those of the community as well. The coalition was founded by the UN and the Nike foundation 6 years ago and since, has received support from over 30 leading international organizations. One can become involved and sign up for updates about the organization on the website.