Created in partnership with the Helpdesk on Business & Human Rights
The Girl Effect
Empowering and Educating Girls and Women through TechnologyOriginally established by the Nike Foundation in 2004, the Girl Effect is now an independent international not-for-profit organization that aims to empower girls to reach their full potential, break stereotypes and redefine the opportunities available to them. Currently the Girl Effect operates in 20 countries across Africa and Asia, reaching millions of girls each year. By leveraging technology and telecommunication, the Girl Effect has established multiple accessible lines of communication within the community.
For example, in India and South Africa, the Girl Effect chatbots receive and respond to more than 1.2 million messages regarding sex and relationships. Similarly, 32% of women are more likely to make health-conscious food choices after viewing the Girl Effect nutrition content. In 2018, the Girl Effect also partnered with the Vodafone Foundation to conduct a study of women’s access to telecommunications and technology. The findings were collected from 28 countries, determining that there are 128 million more women without access to a phone than men.