Today, Global Citizen + CHIME FOR CHANGE join forces with the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) to host the Girls’ Education Forum, culminating in an evening of intimate music headlined by Tom Odell and Laura Mvula  live at the View from The Shard in London.

In support of the #SheWill campaign, Global Citizens have taken nearly 100,000 actions to break down the barriers currently preventing 63 million girls across the world from going to school. Calling on world leaders to sign a global action plan on girls’ education,  their actions have helped catalyse the fight for every girl’s right to learn. 

Today's event will gather governments, businesses and pioneers in women’s rights to agree to this action plan and the first concrete steps towards its implementation - a process that is urgently needed. According to UN figures, less than half of girls (46%) in South Asia complete primary and lower secondary education, whilst in Sub-Saharan Africa, boys complete nearly 2 more years of education than girls.

“The UK is helping 6.5 million girls get a decent education over the next four years, but we need others to step up,” says Justine Greening, Secretary of State for the UK’s Department for International Development.  “That’s why I am proud to be hosting the Girls Education Forum.”

The event will be attended by former Australian Prime Minister and chair of the Global Partnership for Education, Julia Gillard, as well as education ministers from Afghanistan and South Sudan, the Deputy Foreign Minister from Norway and over 100 young campaigners to champion the rights of girls around the world. 

The Girls' Education Forum will be followed by a unique, exclusive music event for Global Citizens who have supported the #SheWill campaign and urged leaders to prioritise the issue of girls’ education. Featuring live performances from Tom Odell and Laura Mvula at The View from The Shard, the event is the first of its kind to be held on the top decks of one of London’s most iconic buildings.

“Today is hugely important for girls everywhere,” says Tom Odell. “Every girl, wherever they are born, deserves the right to access education. I'm honoured to stand by that principle.” 

Featuring new financial commitments towards girls’ education and further practical steps to implement Global Goal 4, the event will be a pivotal moment in the fight for every girl’s right to learn. 

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