EURODAD, Girls Not Brides, Women Deliver, UNGEI, and Plan International are among the 70 organisations demanding debt justice for girls.
At the World Summit for Social Development in Doha, Malala Fund launched a joint statement backed by 70 organisations and 136 total signatures from girls, young women leaders, feminist movements, and economic justice organisations worldwide — all demanding debt reforms that centre adolescent girls' rights.
The statement calls for fairer global financial systems that put girls' rights before creditor interests.
"When governments are forced to spend more on debt than on resources for their people, girls end up paying the highest price," said Malala Yousafzai. "We need to reform broken debt systems to put adolescent girls' needs before creditor interests."
Co-written with eleven young women leaders from across the world and endorsed by 70 organisations spanning continents, Malala Fund officially unveiled the statement while co-hosting two critical side events at the Summit: one on resourcing adolescent girls' rights (Nov 4) and another on addressing structural inequalities through girls' education (Nov 5).
The statement outlines four urgent demands:
Stop debt-driven harm immediately by ending IMF austerity conditionalities
Close the girls' rights funding gap by capping debt payments at 10% of national revenues — unlocking $506 billion for education over five years
Include girls and young women systematically in debt decision-making spaces
Establish safeguards in debt frameworks to protect girls' rights
The 136-strong alliance is calling on governments, international financial institutions, private creditors, and G20 leaders to implement immediate reforms as conversations move from Doha to the G20 and beyond.
"Debt isn't just a number. It's a silent force that is deciding whether young people, specifically girls, get to live their dreams or sacrifice them," said Urwa Naeem, a statement advisor and co-author. "This is not [only] an economic issue, it's a justice issue — and every time a country sends money to creditors instead of classrooms, another girl's right to learn, to be safe, to dream is denied."
From the World Social Summit to the G20 and beyond, this growing coalition will continue to demand that leaders prioritise girls over debt payments. Because when we invest in girls, we invest in a safer, healthier and more equitable society.