FundLife Brings 76 Young People Together to Stand With Girls’ Rights and Futures

Understanding their rights can help girls recognise when something is wrong, express their needs, and seek support. To strengthen this awareness, FundLife brought together 76 young people on October 10, 2026, at the Dulag Function Hall in Leyte for #StandWithGirls: Her Rights, Her Future, marking the International Day of the Girl Child.

The celebration engaged young people from Rawis Elementary School, Cabacungan National High School, Dulag National High School, Eastern Visayas State University – Dulag Campus, and Pag-asa Youth Association of the Philippines (PYAP) Dulag. Anchored on the 2026 theme, “End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls’ Rights!”, the celebration brought together rights education, interactive discussions, play, and creative activities to help girls better understand their rights while building confidence, friendships, and a sense of belonging.

The morning sessions focused on practical knowledge that girls can apply in their everyday lives. Participants explored their fundamental rights to education, safety, protection, equality, and participation, including the importance of personal boundaries and being heard in decisions that affect them.

A dedicated discussion on child marriage introduced the protections provided under Republic Act No. 11596, or the Prohibition of Child Marriage Law. Participants learned about the potential effects of child marriage on their education, health, safety, and future opportunities. The discussion also emphasized that protecting girls from child marriage is a shared responsibility among families, schools, communities, and government.

The sessions also tackled healthy relationships, consent, and personal safety, helping girls recognize respectful and unsafe behaviours, understand their personal boundaries, and identify trusted people and appropriate protection services they can approach when they need support. These discussions reinforced an important message: girls have the right to feel safe, make informed decisions, and seek help without fear or shame.

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Beyond the learning sessions, the celebration created opportunities for girls from different schools and communities to connect through team challenges, games, and creative activities. These experiences encouraged cooperation, self-expression, and positive interaction, reflecting FundLife's belief that play and participation are important parts of girls' development.

For one young person, the learning reinforced that protection belongs to every girl.

“I realized that all girls must be protected. Whether there is a law or not, every girl deserves to be protected because they have their own rights and capabilities. That is why we need to protect them,” shared Bea from Dulag National High School.

Her words captured the heart of the celebration: girls deserve not only protection but also recognition of their strengths, capabilities, and potential. Their voices matter, and they should have opportunities to participate in conversations and decisions that influence their lives.

The event also featured the “My Pledge, My Handprint” Wall, encouraging participants to express their personal commitments to girls' rights and empowerment. The activity reinforced that standing with girls begins with recognizing their rights and taking action to uphold them.

The celebration forms part of FundLife's ongoing #StandWithGirls campaign, which highlights the challenges that can limit girls' opportunities while demonstrating what becomes possible when they have access to safe spaces, education, play, mentorship, skills development, and leadership opportunities.

For FundLife, investing in girls goes beyond raising awareness. It means translating support into meaningful opportunities that help girls discover their capabilities, strengthen their confidence, and pursue their aspirations.

Standing with girls should not end with a celebration. It requires sustained commitment from individuals, schools, communities, organizations, and partners to help ensure that more girls can learn, participate, stay safe, and thrive.

Through #StandWithGirls, FundLife invites individuals, businesses, foundations, and organizations to turn this commitment into action.

Partner with FundLife or make a donation through Global Giving to help more girls access safe spaces, rights education, mentorship, play, and opportunities to learn and lead.

Together, we can help create a future where every girl has the protection, support, and opportunities she deserves.

Stand with girls. Invest in their rights. Help create more opportunities.