Girl power on a global level

Soso Fanta
Sonwabiso (Soso) Fanta, 18, of South Africa, is one of 47 girls from around the world attending the International Girls Summit at Macalester College this week. The project for her group deals with ways to combat gender-based violence.
MPR Photo/Toni Randolph

The girls are from Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Indonesia, Israel, India and, of course, the United States.

They're here working on projects that call attention to global issues facing women and girls, such as health, education, human rights and violence.

Girls summit
A group of girls from India, attending the International Girls Summit in St. Paul, are working on their vision statements. Their project deals with education for girls and child labor.
MPR Photo/Toni Randolph

Their projects deal with the impact of HIV and AIDS on women and girls, child labor, sexism and violence against women.

They've been studying techniques to help them implement their projects when they return home, such as grassroots organizing, coalition-building and media training.

During closing ceremonies at Macalester College Saturday night, the girls will discuss their projects and how they'll implement them over the next year. The ceremony is in the Weyehauser Chapel on campus at 7 p.m., and is open to the public.

Sonwabiso (Soso) Fanta, 18, is from South Africa. Her group is trying to raise awareness about gender-based violence, which, as she explains, is prevalent in her country, especially among girls.

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