Washington, D.C., April 3, 2023 —Together for Girls, a global partnership dedicated to ending violence against children and adolescents, will receive a $3 million CAD grant over three years from Global Affairs Canada to implement the Data for Change II initiative. The funding will support the Together for Girls partnership in working to improve educational outcomes for refugee, internally displaced, or host community girls and adolescent girls in humanitarian and post-conflict settings.

“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Global Affairs Canada,” said Daniela Ligiero, CEO and President of Together for Girls. “With this initiative, we'll be able to gain even deeper insights into the complex obstacles that girls in humanitarian and post-conflict settings confront when seeking an education and work to strengthen evidence-based solutions that can make a difference.”

The Government of Canada has demonstrated its dedication to advancing the education of children and youth affected by forced displacement through a substantial investment of $67.2 million in development assistance funding announced in March 2022, during Canada’s Together for Learning Summit: Engaging Displaced Youth to Transform Education. The Together for Girls initiative is a part of this larger investment to improve educational outcomes.

“We believe that all girls, in all settings, should be able to access high-quality, safe and gender-responsive education,” said Louise Holt, Director General of Global Affairs Canada’s Social Development Bureau. “We look forward to seeing the positive impact of the research and activities that our partnership with Together for Girls will have on the lives of girls and women around the world.”

This initiative is a continuation of a two-year pioneering effort, Data for Change I, which was also funded by Global Affairs Canada. The data collected through Data for Change I has been used to inform both national and global policy. In addition, in partnership with the Governments of El Salvador, Honduras, and Côte d'Ivoire, Data for Change I advanced interventions to address violence against children, with a focus on girls; this included support for multisector National Action Plans, strengthening education sector interventions in National Action Plans, working to reduce corporal punishment, supporting national advocacy campaigns, and introducing information systems to identify the students most vulnerable to abandoning school.

The follow-on project, Data for Change II, aims to increase the knowledge and skills of governments, donors, implementers, and other key stakeholders to measure and address sexual and gender-based violence against girls and adolescent girls, and any other barriers to girls’ education in humanitarian contexts. It also aims to increase the provision of safe, quality, gender-responsive, and innovative evidence-based education for girls and adolescent girls in the Northern Triangle (El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala), Colombia, and Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Nigeria and Zimbabwe in sub-Saharan Africa.

“Girls and adolescent girls in refugee and conflict settings are more likely to be taken out of school, and this situation is compounded by harmful gender norms and gender-based violence,” said Lena Alhusseini, Deputy CEO at Together for Girls. “We believe that in order to improve educational outcomes for these girls, it is essential that we address violence and the harmful norms that create barriers to education.”

About Together for Girls

Ending violence against children cannot be solved by a single actor or sector alone. Together for Girls is a global partnership working to end sexual violence against children and adolescents. Active in over 20 countries, Together for Girls unites actors that often do not work together, including national governments, United Nations entities, the private sector, civil society, and survivors. Through data and advocacy, Together for Girls drives action to break cycles of violence and ensure prevention, healing, and justice.

About Together for Learning campaign

In February 2021, Canada launched the Together for Learning 3-year international campaign to promote greater access to inclusive, equitable and quality education for refugee, other forcibly displaced and host community children and youth. In March 2022, as part of the Campaign, Canada hosted a youth-led Together for Learning Summit: Engaging Displaced Youth to Transform Education, resulting in the release of a Youth Manifesto and the Together with Youth Summit outcome document. To learn more visit ‘Together for Learning’ (international.gc.ca).

About Global Affairs Canada
Global Affairs Canada defines, shapes, and advances Canada’s interests and values in a complex global environment. They manage diplomatic relations, promote international trade and provide consular assistance. They lead international development, humanitarian, and peace and security assistance efforts. They also contribute to national security and the development of international law.