A Young Voice at the UN: Sofia Chen Lopez Reflects on the International Day of the Girl
Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to attend the Working Group on Girl’s (WGG)
International Day of the Girl Summit at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. The
WGG is a global coalition of more than 90 non-governmental organizations that advocates for
the human and legal rights of girls at the United Nations. As one of three girls representing the
Loreto Generalate and Mary Ward Center, I participated in valuable conversations
surrounding topics such as girl’s rights, advocacy, education, reproductive health, and equality.
Throughout the summit, I listened to panelists representing organizations such as
UNICEF, UNFPA, and representatives from the Permanent Missions of Peru, Mozambique,
Türkiye, and Canada. I also participated in mission visits with the Dominican Republic and
Mozambique. I researched the challenges girls in each country were facing using data from the
2026 WGG Girls Shadow Report and shared recommendations directly with delegates on how to
improve the lives of girls living in each respective country.
This experience taught me about the importance of youth advocacy and listening to the
voices of others before determining what changes are needed. As WGG Co-Chair, Kimberly
Happich Moloche said, “you don’t have to wait until you are older to become a leader, you
already are one.” Inspired by this message, I will continue to empower and uplift girl’s voices by
promoting and leading the WGG Global Conversation Circle on November 20th.
Author: Sofia Chen Lopez, IDG Girl Delegate, Mary Ward Centre Toronto
