Bangladesh teen takes over Swedish Embassy for a day to promote girls’ rights

Runa, a youth activist, symbolically took charge of the Swedish Embassy in Bangladesh for a day as part of a global initiative to draw attention to girls' rights and advocate for equality.

Plan International Bangladesh organised the 'Girls Takeover' programme to mark the International Day of the Girl Child on Monday.

After spending the day in the role of Swedish ambassador, Runa called for girls at all levels in the country to be provided with equal rights and opportunities.

Plan organised 70 such takeovers in Bangladesh this month, empowering girls from different corners of the country to symbolically receive the responsibility of key political, economic and diplomatic positions for a day.

“Performing the duties of an ambassador today has inspired me to achieve leadership skills,” Runa said.

“I will be able to encourage the empowerment of other girls like me, create opportunities for them, and more importantly, work to ensure technological literacy in line with this year’s theme.”

“In most cases, the girls in our community find it difficult to grasp their skills and how far they can reach through developing them. They, too, can rise to leadership and bring changes to the society.”

As a member of the youth community, Runa also works on children’s education, ensuring adolescent girls’ rights and preventing child marriage.

The Swedish Embassy took part in this Girls Takeover event following Sweden’s Feminist Foreign Policy which aims to promote gender equality and the rights of all women and girls.

Swedish Ambassador to Bangladesh Alexandra Berg von Linde said: “On the International Day of the Girl Child we celebrate the power and potential of girls - in challenging stereotypes, breaking gender barriers, and demanding change.”

Calling for focus on existing challenges, she said, “Girls are often the first victims when human rights are violated – in real life and online. They suffer double discrimination, for their age and their gender.

“To cede the Ambassador's position for a day to a girl is one way of manifesting the need for girls’ voices to be heard. Today - and every day,” she added.

Plan International said this year, they are working around the theme of ‘Girls Get Equal Freedom Online’ - Misinformation and Disinformation girls and young women face in the digital world.