Futures Without Violence, The Basic Education Coalition, Childfund, Plan International, UNICEF USA and World Vision US put together an in-person House briefing on Thursday, September 22 to advocate for the passage of the Keeping Girls in School Act. The brief was a standing room only event featuring remarks from the bill’s lead sponser, Representative Lois Frankel (D-FL) and lead cosponsor Representative Michael Waltz (R-FL) as well as spontaneous closing remarks from Representative Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX). Childfund’s Erin Kennedy moderated the panel of Plan International youth advocates, Tia El Tenn and Victoria Bradley, who touched on the importance education payed in their own lives and communities, and World Vision’s Alisa Phillips spoke to the benefits that girls’ education provides. The event also featured UNICEF Ambassador Sofia Carson, who traveled to Washington, DC to deliver poignant remarks and increase momentum for this bipartisan legislation.
Representative Jackson Lee: “Put a pen and paper in a girl’s hand and create today’s leaders!”
Representative Waltz: “This is about a basic fundamental human right that the United States needs to take the lead on.”
Representative Frankel: “Here’s what you need to tell the folks you’re working for, every dollar invested in a year of school, ten dollars are generated into the economy. If women have a secondary education, we save 3 million lives.”
UNICEF Ambassador Sofia Carson: “Girls walking down the aisle instead of down the hallways of schools… a girl with a dream and an education is a force to be reckoned with. The Keeping Girls in School Act will save the lives of girls all over the world.”
