About a year ago, I had my first daughter. In the months before she was born, I often wrote down the qualities I hoped she would have: , , and kindness. I often considered how vital these traits are, especially in today’s world.
When I came back from leave, I looked for these exact qualities in ten girls from around the world for . These were girls who defied stereotypes, fearlessly faced challenges, and aimed to build from the ground up.
From France, we found channeling her skills into combating bullying. From the U.S., came who turned her family’s struggles into powerful advocacy for organ donation. From the U.K., a whose creativity benefits the homeless. And from Turkey, a literally reaching new heights.
These girls are part of a generation redefining leadership. Women now represent over half of all tertiary education students worldwide, and young women are increasingly pursuing careers in engineering, technology, and . This generation understands that change doesn’t require adulthood; it begins with identifying problems and refusing to accept them.
We all understand how overwhelming it can be to feel like you’re carrying the weight of the world and believing you’re powerless to change it. But TIME’s Girls of the Year—all between 12 and 17—demonstrate that changing your community and inspiring others can have global impact.
“`
