SAGE Global is an organisation dedicated to empowering teenage entrepreneurs across the world. Every year, they host a SAGE World Cup, in which the best ideas from each participating nation come together in a fiercely fought out competition. The World Cup in 2014 is to be held in Moscow, Russia from the 8-12 August. 18minus was chosen to be the official entry from India. We were asked to compile a report on a certain United Nations Millennium Developmental Goal. We chose MDG #3: PROMOTE GENDER EQUALITY AND EMPOWER WOMEN. 18minus is an organisation that is devoted to making the legal minor (aged below 18) relevant to the society he or she lives in. We want to make the opinion of the child heard, considered, and eventually implemented by the law makers. *Please do note that for the purposes of the competition, 18minus has made certain modifications to its structure and operation. These modifications are non-binding.

1. MDG#3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women submitted by the SAGE India team
UNiting the nation!
18minus aims for socio-political empowerment of children under the age of eighteen,
including girls, who constitute
over 225 million of the
under-eighteen population.
Whether it is in the public or
private sphere, women continue
to be denied opportunities to
participate in the decision-
making process. The
suppression of women’s
voices in many spheres, whether deliberate or resulting from long-standing
discriminatory social and cultural norms, contributes to the persistence of gender
inequality and limits human development.
Solving the situation:
18minus’ XLR8 program provides young girls with safe spaces to discuss sensitive
issues, challenge social norms and gender discrimination, gain knowledge
needed to exercise one’s rights and participate in the civic engagement process, and
most importantly - propose solutions to the government. In the XLR8 program,
talented young changemakers are promoted to the next tier, irrespective of their
gender. In this way, 18minus is completely against discrimination of any sort. We impart
gender-neutral knowledge to stimulate gender-sensitive discussion. "
When girls are empowered, they have the freedom and confidence to access their rights
and the resources they need in order to lead lives free of discrimination, and in turn,
empower other women. "
Measuring impact:
Our #StopThisFelony campaign united urban India as they came together
to fight the heinous crime of rape. Teenagers were asked to send in their
opinion, which was then compiled and sent to the Bangalorean
Parliament as the official Voice of the Youth."
The immediate impact was that people’s rage and anger manifested into
something tangible and constitutionally valid. Our empowered volunteers
took one step further, and reached out to over 50,000 people by
organising protest marches and writing petitions. The biggest impact
however, was that the authorities paid attention to the protest marches
organised by our volunteers, and took administrative changes to deter rape
from happening."
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18MINUS
Where do we stand?
In most Indian households, women are
not even allowed to discuss extremely
pertinent issues in front of male
members for the fear of being
“culturally non-conforming.” This familial
neglect begets societal apathy, which
in the long run, manifests into women’s
rights becoming a tabooed topic.
What does 18minus believe?
Empowering girls to be agents of
change is one of 18minus’ core values
and principles. As an organisation,
more than half of our direct core team is
female.
As always, we have believed that
changes in policy are the most
powerful way social barriers can be
overcome, and with the 18minus XLR8
program, we plan to give the youth the
power to make their opinion matter.
18minus undertakes a holistic approach
that address all the facets of the issue -
including, but not limited to efforts to
provide girls with skill, information,
resources and most importantly, an
encouraging atmosphere to utilise the
former three.
How is 18minus making an
impact?
In India, women are often encouraged
develop just domestic skills, but at the
XLR8 program, we comprehensively
reverse the many ways adolescent girls
are routinely disempowered and made
vulnerable by honing their inherent
leadership qualities and developing
their articulateness. An empowered girl
grows up to be empowered women,
who in turn teaches others about
gender equality, contributes to raising
the economic status of their families
and communities, and holds their
governments accountable for securing
their rights. Most of all, they become
agents of change for a new world - one
that is free of gender inequality - for the
next generation of girls.
As Malala Yousafzai famously said,
“I raise my voice not so that I can shout, but
so that those without a voice can be heard.”