Hollywood, UN and World Bank in Girls’ Education Call

Hollywood star Freida Pinto is joining forces with the UN Secretary General and the President of the World Bank to campaign for girls’ education.

The global ambassador for Plan International’s Because I am a Girl campaign will speak alongside Ban Ki-moon and Jim Yong Kim today at the World Bank headquarters in Washington DC, ahead of a special screening of the film Girl Rising.

Directed by Academy Award nominee Richard E. Robbins, Girl Rising is a ground-breaking film on the transformative power of girls’ education, presented by the 10x10 campaign for Girls Education, Intel and CNN Films.

From poverty to opportunity

“As a young child growing up in India, I saw many girls denied the opportunity of an education – some were forced into marriage and became mothers at a very early age,” explains Freida.

“Every girl has the right to go to school and fulfil her ambitions. With education and the right support, girls are powerful and can help move themselves and their communities from poverty to opportunity.”

Girl Rising tells the stories of 9 extraordinary girls from some of the world’s poorest countries, written by 9 celebrated writers and narrated by 9 A list actresses.

Star support

Meryl Streep, Cate Blanchett and Plan ambassador Freida Pinto are among the star names voicing a mix of stories from Afghanistan, Cambodia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Haiti, India, Nepal, Peru and Sierra Leone.

UK Secretary of State for International Development, Justine Greening, will also speak at Thursday’s event, alongside 10x10 Executive Director Holly Gordon.

“10x10 is an ambitious movement that I am proud to support,” says Freida.“I believe that it can help bring about positive changes, to help girls fulfil their potential.”

Nigel Chapman, CEO of Plan International, said: “Education is key to lifting families and girls out of poverty, but funding and resources are currently extremely inadequate, and we risk failing to meet 2015 targets if we don’t step up. We must keep governments’ feet to the fire on education funding and ensure that we invest in all girls’ futures, including the most marginalised.”