#GirlGoals: Empowering Every Girl, Shaping the Future
A Journey of Strength, Resilience, and Equality for Every Girl
- English
- Shqip
Being a girl in today’s world means navigating challenges while embracing boundless potential. From overcoming societal expectations to pursuing dreams fearlessly, girls are redefining the future every day. For International Women’s Day 2025, #GirlGoals amplifies the voices of young girls like Keisi, a 15-year-old from Albania, who envisions a world where every girl is valued, empowered, and given the freedom to thrive. Through their stories and aspirations, we celebrate the power of girls to drive change and create a more just and equal world.
In this article, we share the dreams and aspirations of Keisi, 15, a member of the UNICEF Albania Adolescent Advisory Board, alongside the reflections of her mother, Vanthie, 41.
Keisi, 15: "Being a teenager today is a journey full of challenges, but also an opportunity to discover your strength and potential. As a 15-year-old girl, I face different challenges every day – prejudice, high expectations and sometimes even a loss of self-confidence. Being a girl in this world often means facing endless challenges, from school pressure to criticism about the way you look or behave. But I believe that every girl has the power to overcome these obstacles by working on herself and setting clear goals. Every step towards personal improvement is a step towards creating a better version of herself.
I have many dreams and hopes for the future. I want to build a successful life, be someone who can inspire others and positively impact the world around me. One of my greatest desires is to travel and discover different cultures that hide the treasures of humanity. I also hope to build real relationships, lasting friendships, and a healthy balance between myself and the outside world. But most of all, I want every girl to have the opportunity to feel free and valued. If I could change one thing, it would be the way girls are treated – not as second-class citizens, but as individuals with infinite strength and potential.
Every generation has its own beauty and uniqueness. I admire the strength and resilience of my mother’s generation and how they were introduced to reality much earlier, their ability to face difficulties with dignity and courage. While my generation has the energy and courage to demand equality and break down the barriers that still exist. By learning from each other, we can create a fairer and more beautiful world for the girls who will come after us."
Vanthie, 41: "I have gone through a challenging path, different from what girls face today. In my time, the mentality was much more restrictive, and prejudices were numerous. However, like my daughter, I had big dreams – to be someone, to feel loved and respected by others. But the circumstances of the time often limited that.
Between my generation and my daughter’s generation, a lot has changed. Today, girls have more opportunities, more freedom, and a world that offers them the tools to pursue their dreams. Technology has changed the way we live, learn, and communicate. But something that has not yet completely changed is judgment – about the way they look, how they dress, or how they choose to live. While my generation faced reality at a younger age, many of the young people today spend more time in the virtual world, away from the challenges of the real one."
The journey toward gender equality is shaped by the strength of every girl and the support of generations before them. As Keisi and her mother, Vanthie, reflect on their experiences, one message is clear—progress is happening, but there is more to do. By listening, supporting, and advocating for every girl’s rights, we can break down barriers and build a future where all girls have the freedom to dream, achieve, and lead. #GirlGoals is more than an activation; it is a movement for lasting change.
