11 October has been marked as the International Day of the Girl (IDG). The day aims to highlight and address the needs and challenges girls face, while promoting girls' empowerment and the fulfillment of their human rights. #GirlsTakeover is a global initiative to ensure girls’ rights and make them visible as actors. As part of Sweden’s feminist foreign policy, the Swedish MFA is collaborating with Plan International to do common activities within the framework of #GirlsTakeover campaign. At the Embassy of Sweden in Jakarta office, a girl named Wafi worked alongside Ambassador Marina Berg for a day.
From 4 to 11 October 2019, Plan International Indonesia (Plan ID) hosted a series of events to commemorate IDG. Wafi took over the Ambassador's role on Wednesday, 9 October 2019. Under this year's campaign theme "Girls' Representation in the Media", Wafi and Ambassador Marina visited the editorial office of Kompas - the biggest Indonesian national newspaper and had a meeting with Kompas editor in chief Ninuk Pambudy and her team to discuss about important issues around women representation in Indonesian media. Earlier that day, Wafi also had the chance to have a breakfast meeting with female ambassadors, such as Ambassador of Austria Helene Steinhäusl, Ambassador of Hungary Judit Pach and UN Resident Coordinator Anita Nirody.
In 2014, Sweden became the first country in the world to launch a feminist foreign policy. The aim is to strengthen rights, representation and resources for all women and girls. This policy is needed. No country has achieved full gender equality, advances are being challenged, and women and girls are still systematically subordinated in every part of the world. Sweden wants to see an end to the injustices, ensure the full enjoyment of human rights for all women and girls, and make girls’ agency and leadership visible. Follow the work on #GirlsTakeover.
