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Girls Human Rights Festival 2025: a global gathering for change
The Girls Human Rights Festival 2025, set to take place from February 17–21, 2025, in London, is shaping up to be the most inspiring yet. A week dedicated to equipping young women with advocacy, leadership, and legal skills, the festival provides an opportunity to connect with human rights leaders, legal professionals, and activists at the forefront of change.
Thanks to the generous support of Hogan Lovells, FieldFisher, Irwin Mitchell, Old Square Chambers, Pickering Pierce, and the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR), this year's festival will include an exciting lineup of events:
With each session, participants will gain the tools to advocate for gender justice, challenge injustice, and shape a more equitable world.
What started as a conversation between a mother and daughter over a kitchen table has evolved into a worldwide movement for girls' rights. Since launching in 2023, GHRH has grown into a powerful force, driving policy, education, and advocacy to secure a better future for girls everywhere.
The Girls Human Rights Festival 2024 was a landmark moment, bringing together young women from across the UK and beyond for a transformative week of learning, networking, and skill-building. The festival opened with a powerful ceremony at the Supreme Court of the UK, where Lady Ingrid Simler JSC highlighted the importance of legal frameworks in protecting girls' rights. At the Advocacy Bootcamp at Old Square Chambers, leading experts guided participants through real-world advocacy strategies on FGM, menstrual equity, and climate justice. The Leadership Summit at Hogan Lovells, featuring Lady Hale as a special guest, gave young women the confidence and negotiation skills to step into leadership roles.
A highlight of the week was the Young Lawyers’ Symposium at FieldFisher, where Patricia Sellers from the International Criminal Court shared her insights on human rights litigation and policy reform. The festival concluded at the House of Lords, hosted by Lord John Hendy KC, where participants reflected on their experiences and their role in shaping the future of human rights advocacy.
Later that year, GHRH celebrated another milestone—the first-ever Girls Human Rights Awards (October 2024), held at Inner Temple. The black-tie gala recognised activists, legal advocates, and changemakers who have been instrumental in advancing girls' rights. The evening was filled with powerful speeches, standing ovations, and renewed determination to continue the fight for gender justice.
From these landmark events to a rapidly expanding network of Young Experts, Campus Ambassadors, and Mini-Hubs, GHRH has established a presence in over 30 countries worldwide. As the 2025 Girls Human Rights Festival approaches, the movement is only gaining momentum.
At the heart of GHRH’s impact is a comprehensive strategy built around five key pillars, ensuring that girls are educated, empowered, and supported in their journey toward leadership and advocacy.
The Programmes Hub is where young women gain practical training, mentorship, and leadership development. Through structured initiatives like the GHRH Scholars Programme, a six-week course on human rights law and advocacy, participants are equipped with the legal and strategic knowledge needed to fight for change. The GHRH Leadership Programme, in partnership with CEDR, focuses on public speaking, negotiation, and leadership resilience, helping young women step into positions of influence. Other initiatives, like the Advocacy Programme and Virtual Work Experience Programme, provide hands-on experience for aspiring activists and human rights professionals.
The Community Hub ensures that the movement grows at the grassroots level. Mini Hubs in schools introduce girls to human rights activism early, while Campus Ambassadors drive awareness within universities. The Young Experts Network, active in over 30 countries, connects young activists working on policy development, legal reform, and research, ensuring that the voices of young women shape real-world decision-making.
The Knowledge Hub acts as a resource powerhouse, providing young women with educational materials, research insights, and advocacy toolkits. The Scholars Hub supports academic research on gender justice, while the Advocacy Hub equips activists with strategies for lobbying and grassroots mobilization. The Leadership Hub provides specialized training to develop confidence, public speaking, and decision-making skills, and the Young Lawyers Hub offers legal education, mentorship, and exposure to human rights law.
The Events Hub transforms advocacy into action by creating platforms for learning, networking, and recognition. The Girls Human Rights Festival is the flagship event, offering an immersive environment for skill development and mentorship, while the Girls Human Rights Awards celebrate pioneers in activism, legal reform, and advocacy, recognising the trailblazers who are shaping a more just world.
The Campaign Hub is the voice of the movement, leading high-impact campaigns that influence policy and raise awareness. #MakeFebruaryGirlsHumanRightsMonth is a bold initiative calling for global recognition of February as a month dedicated to gender justice.
Through these five interconnected hubs, GHRH is creating lasting change, ensuring that girls and young women have the tools, knowledge, and opportunities to lead the fight for gender equality and human rights.
Together, we can create a world where every girl’s rights are recognised, protected, and upheld.
Visit www.ghrh.org to get involved.
The Girls Human Rights Festival 2025, set to take place from February 17–21, 2025, in London, is shaping up to be the most inspiring yet. A week dedicated to equipping young women with advocacy, leadership, and legal skills, the festival provides an opportunity to connect with human rights leaders, legal professionals, and activists at the forefront of change.
Thanks to the generous support of Hogan Lovells, FieldFisher, Irwin Mitchell, Old Square Chambers, Pickering Pierce, and the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR), this year's festival will include an exciting lineup of events:
With each session, participants will gain the tools to advocate for gender justice, challenge injustice, and shape a more equitable world.
What started as a conversation between a mother and daughter over a kitchen table has evolved into a worldwide movement for girls' rights. Since launching in 2023, GHRH has grown into a powerful force, driving policy, education, and advocacy to secure a better future for girls everywhere.
The Girls Human Rights Festival 2024 was a landmark moment, bringing together young women from across the UK and beyond for a transformative week of learning, networking, and skill-building. The festival opened with a powerful ceremony at the Supreme Court of the UK, where Lady Ingrid Simler JSC highlighted the importance of legal frameworks in protecting girls' rights. At the Advocacy Bootcamp at Old Square Chambers, leading experts guided participants through real-world advocacy strategies on FGM, menstrual equity, and climate justice. The Leadership Summit at Hogan Lovells, featuring Lady Hale as a special guest, gave young women the confidence and negotiation skills to step into leadership roles.
A highlight of the week was the Young Lawyers’ Symposium at FieldFisher, where Patricia Sellers from the International Criminal Court shared her insights on human rights litigation and policy reform. The festival concluded at the House of Lords, hosted by Lord John Hendy KC, where participants reflected on their experiences and their role in shaping the future of human rights advocacy.
Later that year, GHRH celebrated another milestone—the first-ever Girls Human Rights Awards (October 2024), held at Inner Temple. The black-tie gala recognised activists, legal advocates, and changemakers who have been instrumental in advancing girls' rights. The evening was filled with powerful speeches, standing ovations, and renewed determination to continue the fight for gender justice.
From these landmark events to a rapidly expanding network of Young Experts, Campus Ambassadors, and Mini-Hubs, GHRH has established a presence in over 30 countries worldwide. As the 2025 Girls Human Rights Festival approaches, the movement is only gaining momentum.
At the heart of GHRH’s impact is a comprehensive strategy built around five key pillars, ensuring that girls are educated, empowered, and supported in their journey toward leadership and advocacy.
The Programmes Hub is where young women gain practical training, mentorship, and leadership development. Through structured initiatives like the GHRH Scholars Programme, a six-week course on human rights law and advocacy, participants are equipped with the legal and strategic knowledge needed to fight for change. The GHRH Leadership Programme, in partnership with CEDR, focuses on public speaking, negotiation, and leadership resilience, helping young women step into positions of influence. Other initiatives, like the Advocacy Programme and Virtual Work Experience Programme, provide hands-on experience for aspiring activists and human rights professionals.
The Community Hub ensures that the movement grows at the grassroots level. Mini Hubs in schools introduce girls to human rights activism early, while Campus Ambassadors drive awareness within universities. The Young Experts Network, active in over 30 countries, connects young activists working on policy development, legal reform, and research, ensuring that the voices of young women shape real-world decision-making.
The Knowledge Hub acts as a resource powerhouse, providing young women with educational materials, research insights, and advocacy toolkits. The Scholars Hub supports academic research on gender justice, while the Advocacy Hub equips activists with strategies for lobbying and grassroots mobilization. The Leadership Hub provides specialized training to develop confidence, public speaking, and decision-making skills, and the Young Lawyers Hub offers legal education, mentorship, and exposure to human rights law.
The Events Hub transforms advocacy into action by creating platforms for learning, networking, and recognition. The Girls Human Rights Festival is the flagship event, offering an immersive environment for skill development and mentorship, while the Girls Human Rights Awards celebrate pioneers in activism, legal reform, and advocacy, recognising the trailblazers who are shaping a more just world.
The Campaign Hub is the voice of the movement, leading high-impact campaigns that influence policy and raise awareness. #MakeFebruaryGirlsHumanRightsMonth is a bold initiative calling for global recognition of February as a month dedicated to gender justice.
Through these five interconnected hubs, GHRH is creating lasting change, ensuring that girls and young women have the tools, knowledge, and opportunities to lead the fight for gender equality and human rights.
Together, we can create a world where every girl’s rights are recognised, protected, and upheld.
Visit www.ghrh.org to get involved.
Girls Human Rights Festival 2025: a global gathering for change
The Bar Council faces both opportunities and challenges on our key areas this year
Girls Human Rights Festival 2025: a global gathering for change
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