Fighting for the rights of girls to keep them safe at home, at school and in their communities.

Why we care: Adolescent girls are disproportionately vulnerable to human rights abuses that can have severe and long-lasting consequences.  

How we’re solving this:  By shaping laws and legal systems and mobilizing communities to prevent and better address future violations of girls’ rights.  

We proactively seek out cases in which girls’ rights have been violated to set legal precedents, allow girls to access justice and deter further abuse. The Adolescent Girls’ Legal Defense Fund:

  • provides legal and other assistance to girls;
  • helps local NGOs create awareness in their communities;
  • gives expert assistance to lawyers to handle cases and push for legal reform;  and
  • ensures greater attention to the issue nationally and internationally.  

Since the inception of the program in 2008, we have worked with grassroots organizations on 10 cases in eight countries representing various forms of violence against girls. These include rape, gang-rape, child marriage, female genital mutilation (FGM), incest, sex trafficking and sex tourism.

Your support will enable us to help girls around the world navigate complex legal systems in search of justice and make systemic change for the benefit of all.  Girls like: 

  • Mary from Zambia who was raped by her teacher at age 13.  We helped her bring a civil suit against the Zambian government that resulted in a landmark decision, holding the government accountable for rapes in schools.  We are now working with the Zambian Ministry of Education to set guidelines to prevent future sexual assault of schoolgirls.
  • Wafa from Yemen who, at age 11, was married off to a violent 40 year old man.  We were able to help her obtain a divorce, relocate her to a shelter and help her resume her education. We are using her case to push for a law against child marriage in Yemen.
  • Mariam of Pakistan who, at age 15, was raped by her father.  Despite immense stigma and many obstacles to justice, we helped secure the highest penalty for the father and are using the case to advocate for a law against incest in Pakistan.
  • Makeda of Ethiopia, who was abducted, raped and forced into marriage at age 13.  We were able to use her case to get the law that exempted rapists from punishment if they married their victims, repealed.  Makeda is continuing her education and building a future.
  • Four Brazilian girls, aged 12 to 17, who were sexually exploited by clients of a U.S. fishing tour company operating in Brazil.  We helped them file the first civil action against sex tourists in a U.S. court to deter sex tour companies and their clients from exploiting girls overseas.
  • Sasiano from Kenya who died as a result of FGM performed when she was 12 years old.  The anti-FGM law was not being implemented in the Maasai community where she lived.  We pressured the Kenyan government to prosecute those responsible and got 10 year judgments against them, which will serve as a deterrent.
  • Sanyu of Uganda, who was raped and impregnated at age 13.  She is deaf, blind and mute and the government failed to take any steps to investigate her case.  We are working to establish special measures for disabled girls in the Ugandan legal system so that girls like Sanyu are not easy targets. 

Names have been changed to protect privacy

These are just a few of the courageous girls we have had the honor to work with.  Please support the Adolescent Girls’ Legal Defense Fund to help us continue this critical work, advancing our current cases and bringing new cases.  No matter how difficult the situation may be or seem, we are determined to create a world where girls have the opportunity to reach their full potential!