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5 everyday actions you can take to support gender equality (and they’re not all what you’d expect)

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From kids’ play to hashtags, change starts with our individual actions.

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How to Close the Gap in Gender Inequaliy

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How to Close the Gap in Gender Inequaliy

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Although women have come a long way from the discrimination and struggles they previously faced, statistics still show inequality to be prevalent in the working world.

The Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) focuses on all of the inequalities women face today.

As 20-somethings continue to shape the world, we can focus on how to make change toward equality -- here are five ways:

1. Showing Strong Female And Male Leads

Male costars often sideline women in film and TV. From blockbuster movies to popular television shows, females are substantially less visible in leading roles since the days of Carrie Bradshaw and her three best gal pals.

The Disney hit "Frozen" does not involve the standard Prince Charming and damsel in distress scenario, but instead, focuses on two sisters and their unbreakable bond as they accept each other for who they are.

Spoiler Alert: That catchy "Let It Go" tune we've heard over and over for the past year isn't about a breakup, but 21-year-old Princess Elsa accepting herself for who she is.

Now, that's what I call a role model. #GirlPower

2. Recognizing Globally That Gender Equality Is About Feminism

While gender equality was initially an issue only females fought for, men are now realizing their voices matter, too.

In recent years, men have begun to address inequalities and stand up to discrimination females face. HeForShe is a solidarity movement for gender equality that brings together one half of humanity in support of the otherhalf of humanity.

"It is time that we all see gender as a spectrum instead of two sets of opposing ideals," UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson explained. "We should stop defining each other by what we are not, and start defining ourselves by who we are."

3. Make Internet Access More Available

A recent report confirmed more than just universal effort will be required to close the gender gap worldwide.

It is a product of No Ceilings, an initiative the Clinton Foundation launched last year in hopes of taking stock of what's changed since 1995.

This study discovered that in the developing world, some 200 million fewer women than men use the Internet, and 300 million fewer women own cellphones.

4. Support Companies That Take A Stance

In 2013, among full-time, year-round workers, women earned 78 percent of what men were paid.

Women in every state experience the pay gap, but some states are worse than others.

According to the AAUW, the best place in the United States for pay equality is Washington, DC, where women earned 91 percent of male salaries in 2013.

At the other end of the spectrum, Louisiana is the worst state in the country for equal pay, where women earned just 66 percent of male salaries.

However, after all of the attention gender equality has received, the pay gap has still barely budged in a decade. So, what do we do to fix this?

When Joe Keefe became CEO of Pax World Management LLC, he partnered with Sallie Krawcheck's Ellevate Asset Management to launch The Pax Ellevate Global Women's Index Fund, which became the first global index fund to focus on investing in the highest-rated companies aimed to advance women's leadership.

Keefe believes gender inequality is the " great economic issue of our time." Like other modern-thinking CEOs, he believes that by eliminating discrimination, we'll be able to experience growth like we've never seen before.

5. Have A Voice, Whether Small Or Large

Any voice for gender equality is one more voice heard. Lately, it seems celebrities are not only speaking their opinions on gender equality, but also taking stances.

When asked in a 2012 Daily Beast interview whether she's a feminist, Taylor Swift answered, somewhat evasively, "I don't really think about things as guys versus girls. I never have.

I was raised by parents who brought me up to think if you work as hard as guys, you can go far in life."

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler used George Clooney's award at the 2015 Golden Globes as an opportunity to, instead, talk about how badass his wife, Amal, is, saying,

"George Clooney married Amal Alamuddin this year. Amal is a human rights lawyer who worked on the Enron case, was an adviser to Kofi Annan regarding Syria and was selected to a three-person UN commission investigating rules of war violations in the Gaza Strip. So tonight, her husband is getting a lifetime achievement award."

Whether man or women, some who have been fighting for gender equality have been fighting for the duration of their professional lives and some of them just stumbled upon a cause.

Some of them don't always stay with the cause and some are new advocates for gender equality.

Regardless, time and specifics do not matter. What matters most is that they all question inequality and they all set out to do something about it in their own ways, in their own industries.

Little by little, we can make a difference.

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5 Ways This Generation Can Help Close The Gap In Gender Equality

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Although women have come a long way from the discrimination and struggles they previously faced, statistics still show inequality to be prevalent in the working world. The Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) focuses on all of the inequalities women face...

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A world of gender parity can only be achieved with the active participation of all genders. In a patriarchal setup such as ours, men are not encouraged enough to think about women's rights. However, with an evolving society and progressive mindset, an increasing number of men are working towards advancing gender equality. But there's still a long way to go, as this report suggests.
We compiled a list of things we can (and must) do to in our daily lives to contribute towards promoting gender equality in our homes, workplace and everywhere else.
@ Home

1. Share the workload at home : Research says that women still do most of the domestic chores despite going out to w
ork in increasing numbers. Though men have doubled their share of housework since the 1960s, there's still a long way to go. Ensure both partners get involved in the housework and teach children to assist in the little ways they can. Sharing domestic responsibilities ensures the work burden doesn't fall only on one person and instills the value of gender equality and essential life skills in children.
2. If you have children, be an equal parent : Be willing to take paternity leave and stay at home to care for your kids when they need you. Divide childcare responsibilities with your partner and also ensure that both of you get to spend an equal amount of "play" time with the children.

3. Encourage your kid to play with toys of his/her choice : While buying toys for the little ones, people generally ask for gender-specific toys, like toy guns or race cars for boys and princess dolls and vanity sets for girls. What messages are we sending to our children when we give them these gender-specified toys? So, next time you go to a toy store, let your kids buy toys of their choice rather than forcing them to pick one based on their gender.
@ Workplace

4. Walk the talk about income inequality : You must have often heard that men get paid more than women over their lifetimes. Raise your voice against this injustice and support equal pay for equal work.
5. Find female mentors/leaders : Ensure that some of your role models or mentors are women. There's a lot you can learn from women in positions of authority. If you want to volunteer for an organisation, go for a women's organisation and do your bit to bring about a change to create a more equal world.
6. Encourage women to come forward and speak their mind : At the workplace, encourage your female colleagues to come forward and share their thoughts without any inhibitions. Most often they come up with exceptional ideas that blow everyone away.
7. Have an open-minded work atmosphere : Work towards creating a more inclusive work culture. Stand up to issues like harassment and gender bias at the workplace.
Everywhere else
8. Be aware of gender stereotypes : # Gender stereotypes affect men and women in every sphere of life and are huge obstacles to gender equality. Recognize such stereotypes and avoid them.

9. Promote and share the cause on Social Media : Utilize your social networking profiles to promote, share, post and acknowledge the cause of gender equality. Create or join a group on Facebook or Twitter and raise awareness of any event or petition on the cause.
10. Stand up against harassment and eve teasing : Sexual harassment is a violation of women's human right. So, whenever you see or become aware of such instances, whether in the workplace, streets, home or the online space, raise your voice against it.

You can also show your support for gender equality by signing up for the UN Women's #HeForShe initiative - a solidarity movement for gender equality that brings together one half of humanity in support of the other half of humanity. Schneider Electric is proud to be an ambassador for #HeForShe , and you can be one too. Sign up here and join the movement.

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10 Things YOU can do to Support Gender Equality - Schneider Electric Blog

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A world of gender parity can only be achieved with the active participation of all genders. In a patriarchal setup such as ours, men are not encouraged enough to think about women's rights. However, with an evolving society and progressive mindset, an increasing number of men are working towards advancing gender equality.

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Newsela | Monumental effort by Girl Scouts

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Girl Scouts join activists to raise money for a monument to women in NYC's Central Park

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Newsela | Clarks withdraws girls' school shoe after claims of sexism

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Shoe maker Clarks takes a step back, withdrawing the girls' style called "Dolly Babe" from shelves where the boys' model is "Leader."

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Dress code allows both boys and girls to wear pants or skirts

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Newsela | Olympics: IOC approves new events in gender parity push for 2020

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To help improve gender equality, the International Olympic Committee has approved 15 new events for the Tokyo 2020 games.

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Newsela | How Title IX works: Gender equality in education

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The law, which outlaws gender discrimination in education, has aided girls and women in sports

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Teens Leading the Fight for Gender Equality

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Teens Leading the Fight for Gender Equality

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Last month, 30 girls' rights activists aged between 13 and 19 from six African countries - Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia, Malawi and South Africa - attended a mentorship and empowerment meeting in Kampala.

"At its most simple, the girls will change Africa," said Happy Mwende Kinyili, a senior programme officer at international women's fund Mama Cash, which sponsored the event. "They will do that because they know what they want and they will go for what they want. When others see that, their worlds will also change. It is important that it is girls from different parts of Africa, because it is about changing Africa."

According to Mama Cash, the meeting was intended for "the girls to learn, train, grow, network and strategise together - strengthening the next generation of feminist activists".

We spoke to some of the attendees about the big issues they face as girls and young women in their countries, and asked them what they would like to see changed.

Patricia Moyo, 17, studying for a diploma in rural and community development, Malawi

I was born with a disability. I was affected by polio in both legs.

There are so many issues affecting girls of my age in Malawi and [they are] worse when you are disabled. Those who are disabled have always been taken as second-class citizens - in terms of access to education they are always left behind. If you look at the structures that are in schools, they are not user-friendly. It is extremely hard for somebody who is using crutches or a wheelchair to attend class.

And these issues affect everybody with a disability - the girls and the boys.

I would love it if my country would take each and every person as equal. We are all human beings, [and] deserve to be alive and enjoy life as everyone else, regardless of disability.

I want to fight to see that disabled pupils are also taken into mainstream schools. Today in Malawi, the practice is that when you are visually impaired, for instance, they take you to a visually impaired-only school, or school for the needy. But we want to go and mingle and meet with fellow students and everyone else, and not just those who are disabled.

I want to be that girl that everyone will look up to as their role model, especially disabled people. I want to be there for them. I want to be their voice. But I also want to see the government in Malawi take a lead to address disability issues. And regarding everyone else, [I want them to] recognise my disability and emphasise my capabilities.

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Atieno Fiona Kimberly, 17, student, Kenya

The biggest issue affecting girls in Kenya is lack of sanitary towels and that, during their period, they can't attend school - they have to stay at home. Another issue is poverty. The culture in our country has always been that if [my family is] poor and I have a brother, my brother will be educated and I will stay at home. They will prioritise my brother, which is discrimination - the boy is more privileged than the girl.

There are also negative cultures which hold girls back in Kenya. Like the Maasai [community] still have female genital mutilation (FGM) - it is very backward and dangerous. I could die because they use the same [razor blade] to cut more than one girl, and it can transmit diseases. Those who have undergone FGM will have complications while giving birth. The whole culture is a total mess.

And then there are early marriages. The way that I am here, at just 17 years old, and I am forced to marry a person fit to be my father. They consider bride wealth [the property that the groom gives the bride], and we [girls] are sold. We are seen as gadgets or something of the sort.

I would really love to see that in Kenya, men and women are treated equally. There should be nothing like a boy should go to school and a girl shouldn't, just because I will get married one day and leave my father's house. FGM and early marriages should stop and Kenya would be a better place for a girl.

Sanitary towels should at least be subsidised so that poor parents can also afford them for their daughters. [The programme announced by the government to provide these free does not reach remote areas.]

I wanted to be a lawyer but now I want to be a pilot because we have very few female pilots, not just in Kenya, but across the whole world. So my inspiration is to become one of the female pilots. There are those who think such jobs are never meant for women. I want to change that.

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Brenda Irachan, 17, student, Uganda

I am from the countryside in Nebbi district in north-western Uganda. The biggest issue that affects girls here is [cross-generational] relationships. There are certain things that force us [into relationships], like when our parents are not providing everything we want and some old men come in and say, "I will be able to provide you with what you want", and the girls are swayed. Of course the girl is young; she does not know how to deal with the relationship with an old man - they are impregnated and dumped and they drop out of school. Once a girl is pregnant, the parents chase her out of home. You end up a single young mother.

I am born of a poor family but I am determined to change that and I can only do this through education. In future, I want to be a doctor and I would also like to see my colleagues studying and becoming important people as well. Seeing my friends suffering is not good.

In the community where I live, I normally talk to my friends about their rights and responsibilities. I tell them that there is time for everything - study at school first, and do not engage in relationships with older men. [For] those whose rights have been violated, we have a probation office in Nebbi and I encourage them to go there and report it.

My dad had not wanted to pay my school fees but, because I felt it was my right to go to school, I took my father to the probation office to explain why he did not want to pay my school fees. He started to pay. Now I go to school.

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Uetutjinda Kautjituavi, 17, student, Namibia

There are a couple of challenges holding back teenage girls like me in Namibia. The biggest are teenage pregnancy, sugar daddies and lack of education.

And these issues are related. Most of the girls here drop out of school because of early pregnancies and it is usually the sugar daddies who are responsible. The girls drop out of school and they just become single mothers.

Honestly, I don't think government is doing anything at all [to help the situation]. In this workshop here, we looked at human rights and when I go back home, I want to talk to my friends and other girls about how to care about themselves, and tell them that they have the right to say no to advances from sugar daddies. And by the way, once girls are aware of their rights, they can even demonstrate and force government to act.

I want to study and be a gynaecologist in future. I want to help women. One last point I want to emphasise is that girls have rights.

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Hawa Kimbugwe, 19, a poet, and studying human nutrition at Kyambogo University, Uganda

The issue affecting girls of my age is insecurity. Because of society's structures, girls are insecure and usually mind more about what other people think about them and not what they want to do with their lives. They have low self-esteem and confidence just because our culture teaches us to be so confined and uptight. So some of them can't say no when they don't want to do something and that is why there is a saying here that "a girl's no is a yes". Some girls also bleach their skin and want to look like [other people's idea of beauty]. But me, I say you are beautiful the way you were created.

Girls have no information about themselves, their rights and the fact that there are things they are entitled to. This sometimes makes them submit to whatever comes their way. They need to get more informed and knowledgeable about social [issues]. The education system usually focuses on things to do in school and passing exams, but not social survival.

I want to advocate girls' rights. They have to know that no one is supposed to touch their body if they don't want it. Their bodies are theirs and theirs alone. Nobody has a right to just tap your butt if you are walking in town. I want girls to be confident and stand their ground and appreciate themselves the way they are. And when girls are assertive, they are mindful of what is taking place in their environment and they will ably fight injustice.
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The girls aiming to change Africa: young activists speak out | Alon Mwesigwa

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Last month, 30 girls' rights activists aged between 13 and 19 from six African countries - Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia, Malawi and South Africa - attended a mentorship and empowerment meeting in Kampala. "At its most simple, the girls will change Africa," said Happy Mwende Kinyili, a senior programme officer at international women's fund Mama Cash, which sponsored the event.

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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Being young is mostly a fight to be taken seriously. Being an equality defender is running against the strong wind of the capitalist mainstream. Being politically engaged is to take the risk of making a stand and fighting publicly while encouraging people to do the same. But combining the 'beings' is a new level of societal challenge. Here is a list of noticeable young politicians who are not afraid to take a stand on the issue of women's rights.
Malala Yousafzai, 19, Pakistan (now - the UK)

In such an early age, Malala has already become an iconic feminist activist for girls whose rights of education are unfairly prejudiced. 'A global advocate for Girl's education' - that is how her mission is called. Since her childhood, learning has been Malala's main passion. However, in Pakistan, just like in many other regions all over the world, thousands of girls have been deprived of the opportunity. That is why Malala with her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, threw down a challenge to all the turmoil that was started by the Taliban: schools have been destroyed, women were forbidden to do ordinary things like listening to music or shopping. In 2009 Malala started to write where she told about everything happening just outside her door.

Three years passed, her brave actions turned into a horrible event. In 2012 a gunman burst into a bus, by which Malala came back from school, and shot her from a gun. A single bullet went through Malala's head, neck and shoulder, but, fortunately, Malala survived. Right next year, Malala with her father founded that continues its work today. Malala fund

Finally, as we mentioned before in our article about 15 Millennial Female Politicians, Malala is the youngest-ever Nobel Price laureate. She got it in 2014 when she was only 17 years old. For sure Malala is proud to be given such a honorary award, but it has never been her main goal.

This award is not just for me. It is for those forgotten children who want education. It is for those frighten children who want peace. It is for those voiceless children who want change", Malala says in her Nobel Peace Price Speech.

Then she underlines our generation's duty to provide each of 66 millions girls who need a hand with equal rights of education, "My greatest hope is that it would be the last time we must fight for education".

Photo: Malala Yousafsai and Kailash Satyarthi, Indian children's rights and education advocate

Emma Watson, 27, the UK

From Hermione's gown and Belle's yellow dress to a formal suit - Emma Watson now actively participates in politics concerning women's rights . By the way, during Pakistan activist said that particularly Emma Watson has convinced her not to be afraid stating herself with a word feminist - "because feminism is another word for equality" . an interview at the premiere of a documentary He Named Me Malala, the

Photo: Malala Yousafzai and Emma Watson at the premiere of a documentary He Named Me Malala

And that, as for us, is the main Emma's credit - being a world famous figure, she is able to clarify the word 'feminism' that is misunderstood by many people and is interpreted like anti-men movement, which is inappropriate. Thus, being an ambassador of the UN, Emma launched He For She campaign,which goal is to prove that feminism is not only about women's rights. It is about men's rights too, that is why 'He' should be concerning about genders' equality the same way as 'She' does.

Prince Harry, 32, the UK

And lots of men do concern. Let's move from Hermione's featured actress to Harry - not Potter (well, by the way, Daniel Radcliffe is also a femenist). But in this list we could not help telling about Prince Harry who considered to be "a long-term supporter of women's rights" , as Daily Mailthe younger son of Charles, Prince of Wales, and Diana, Princess of Wales, visited reports. Last year the Nepal Girl Summit in Kathmandu. The royal supported the Nepalese' fight against child marriage . Interesting fact is that Prince Harry opened the Summit with Bidya Devi Bhandari, the first female president of Nepal.

Here in Nepal, nearly half of all women who are today in their 20s, 30s and 40s were married before their 18th birthdays. And a little under half gave birth while still in their teens", the Prince announced statistics that remains bleak.

Prince Harry said that he was inspired by feminist role models such as the US First Lady Michelle Obama and Malala, but, "It cannot just be women who speak up for girls". And it is not just heroics - Prince Harry in cooperation with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho founded a charity called "t o become the leading organization in the provision of psychosocial support for children living with HIV in Southern Africa" , in order to support children, both girls and boys, with productive equal lives they deserve. Sentebale. The team's mission is

Photo: Prince Harry with children from Phelisanong Childrens Home in Lesotho

Shamil Makhecha, 25, the UK

Another equality defender from Britain is Shamil Makhecha. He is a member of Plan International UK's 'Youth For Change' project.

His activism is largely in gender-based discrimination and violence not only in the UK, but also in the international field. Previously, Shamil has led a project in rural Bangladesh aiming to decrease rates of child marriage and promote women's economic empowerment. Through a mixture of active citizenship days and informative courtyard sessions, the team he worked within increased awareness of sexual reproductive health and civil rights.

I believe that many young boys, myself once included, have a moral compass that will lead them to fight for gender equality. The question is whether they have the moral courage to follow that instinct, and use their voice to help defend equal rights.

Nick McKenzie, 28, the UK

Being Great Men Value Women Project manager Nick McKenzie states that it isn't a women's battle.

Young men are often under a lot of pressure to prove their masculinity in ways that put them and others at risk, and they are influenced by cultural expectations of how girls and boys should behave according to their gender. - Statement of Great Men Value Women Project.

The project provides workshops in schools in order to combat gender stereotypes at its roots and create appropriate models of masculinity. During this event volunteers challenge perceptions of ''real men'' aggressive behavior and women and homosexuals as inferior.

In retrospect my awareness was decades too late and this is why our work with boys is so important - so that the next generation of men can take an active role in promoting gender equality. - Nick McKenzie.

Memory Banda, 19, Malawi

Coming back to children marriage in Nepal, it should be said that the country's case is not the worst. In some countries like Malawi even more than a half of girls are forced to get married in their 15s and refuse from education. However, even in such circumstances there are activists who want change. Meet Memory Banda - the girl who felt how meserable the girl's rights are through her own expirience.

Giving a TED Talk, she told a story of her younger sister who got pregnant in the age of 11.

Once you reach puberty stage, you are supposed to go to initiation camps. In this initiation camps you are taught how to sexually please a man<...> Imagine the trauma that these young girls go through every day. Today she is only 16 years old" , Memory continues about her sister, "and she has three children. Her first marriage did not survive, nor did her second marriage" .

Instead of following the same way, Memory joined the and Girls Empowerment Network Let Girls Lead. Then she started to communicate with Malawi leaders. At the age of 19 Banda and her colleagues achieved a revolutionary goal for their community,

Our leader stood up for us and said that no girl has to be married off before the age of 18 .

The sky is the limit - Banda is not going to stop here. Now she gets a secondary education and is sure that her future profession will be connected with law. , Banda tells " I've always wanted to do law, and I feel like I still have to pursue that " Popsugar about her plans.

Sara Ezabe, 20, Malta

By the way, in what degree should young women be involved in politics? Is it approptiate that women who profess some religion are restricted in political participation? Activist from Malta, Sara Ezabe, believes that young women must be given a voice on a political stage. The reason is that women has their own challenges that they are concerning about, the same way as men do. That is why "there should be a gender balance representation", about proportion of men and women having political rights.

To take a step in achieving this goal in Malta, Sara founded the Network of Young Women Leaders. There are not lots of participators yet, but they set a great example for everyone who wants to be heard.

In movements in America, I see many Muslim women who are the forefront of fighting for their rights and overcoming the barriers.

As for religion aspect, Sara claims that there also should not be any boundaries. On tricky question asked by an interviewer , "Do you find there is a contradiction between your Muslim faith and your beliefs on gender equality?", she answers, "To my knowledge at least, there are no verses in the Quran which says that women cannot act equally in society or that men have more to contribute than women".

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7 Young Political Activists Who Fight For Gender Equality

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Being young is mostly a fight to be taken seriously. Being an equality defender is running against the strong wind of the capitalist mainstream. Being politically engaged is to take the risk of making a stand and fighting publicly while encouraging people to do the same.

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Ruhy Patel, 17, lives in Doylestown, Pa. When she was 15 she was planning to run for student council office. "All the other people running were boys," she says, "and people were like, 'Well, you're not going to win.' You feel intimidated because you're the only girl in the room. It makes you question if you'd be OK in the field of politics."

Did she drop out? No.

Did she win? "I did!"

"I feel like it kind of makes you want to try harder when people say no," says Patel.

That could be the motto for the activists of Girl Up. There are nearly 5,000 teenage girls in 66 countries who volunteer for the U.N. Foundation group. They speak out and raise money so every girl can go to school - there are an estimated 62 million who don't - and can receive official government identification papers, can get proper health care and gain the skills to pursue her dreams.

This week, we met with 13 "teen advisers" from Girl Up. They were a few of the 225 members in Washington, D.C., for the annual leadership summit.

Unlike the 62 million out-of-school girls, these Girl Up girls are all in school. They're thinking about college; they lead comfortable lives. Sometimes their friends can't understand their activism. "They don't think we're able to make a difference," says Janet Ho, 18, who lives in Los Angeles. But that's not true, she says.

Kennede Reese, 18, from Denver, mentions a SchoolCycle fundraiser. The proceeds were used to send bikes to girls in Malawi: "Because even though they have the school supplies, there's no way to get to school to get the education they need. We think of the small things."

The girls we spoke with all live in the U.S., but some have roots in the countries they're trying to help. So they know firsthand what life can be like outside the American bubble.

"My family is from the most rural part of China," says Amy Gong Liu, 18, of Alameda, Calif. "My dad was chosen to go to school instead of my aunt. My aunt was very brilliant, very outspoken about women's issues." But she never learned to read and write.

"When [my dad] told her he was going to have a daughter - me - she said, 'Make sure you educate her, keep her in the loop at the dinner table, make sure she has a voice.' "

Liu pauses: "It's hard not to think, 'What if I was born in China and my aunt was born in America, and she had the opportunity [for] success and I didn't?' "

Does the unfairness of it all make the teen leaders feel guilty?

The unanimous reply: Yes, yes, yes!

Yet they've learned that even though girls in low-income countries face many obstacles, they have a sense of hope and gratitude.

Ishana Nigam, 17, from Charlotte, N.C., visits India every year or so. That's where her parents are from. The girls she meets have "a lack of education, poor health care," she says. "But they're not jealous of me. They always tell me, 'I'm thankful for what I have, thankful just to be breathing.' And that takes a toll on me because I have so many more things than they have."

Meanwhile, all the girls bond over pop culture.

"I tutor refugees in Chicago," says Celia Buckman, 16. "They're 10 to 12, from all over, Malaysia, Kenya, India, Iraq. And they like to listen to ' Shake It Off' by Taylor Swift. They come from all over the world, they practice different religions, speak different languages, but they can all sit down and watch Taylor Swift videos, and that's great!"

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Haters Gonna Hate. Teen Girl Activists Shake It Off And Try Again

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These Girl Up leaders know that it's hard being a girl anywhere in the world - whether you're fighting to go to school or convincing boys that yes, girls can run for student council, too!