‘Girls takeovers’ is an initiative of Plan International where girls are supported to work with senior leaders, particularly women from a range of sectors. It is intended to inspire girls to pursue their career goals and life aspirations albeit persisting socio-cultural and economic structural barriers. These individually tailored takeovers are created to have lasting impact for both the participating young girls and senior leaders to continue championing gender equality in workplaces. British High Commission Kampala has partnered with Plan International Uganda to host one of the ‘Girls Takeovers’ organised this year.

As she assumed office of the Deputy High Commissioner in Uganda, Peace noted that refugee girls and girls living in conflict and post conflict areas face multiple deprivations including personal insecurity, poverty, hunger, school dropout inextricably linked to gender based and sexual violence, forced and child marriages and high teenage pregnancy among others.

Peace however was grateful for such interventions as one delivered by Plan International Uganda which emboldens young girls to stand up to abuses, provide peer support amongst themselves and pursue their dreams.

Peace Elly who arrived in Uganda together with her family 11 years ago completed her senior six in 2023. She scored 11 points having offered mathematics, physics, entrepreneurship and Computer. She has hopes of joining university soon to pursue her dream of becoming Information Technology Expert. Peace is an active champion of girls’ rights in her community. She is one the beneficiaries of a project implemented by Plan International Uganda with funding from the global programme ‘Education cannot Wait’ focusing on quality, safe and inclusive education in refugee and host districts in Uganda. The programme is geared towards Improving equitable and inclusive access to relevant learning opportunities; strengthening systems for effective delivery; and improving quality of education and training. The UK contributes over 25% of the total budget of the ECW programme globally.

Peace noted that taking over office of the Deputy British High Commissioner is one of the symbols that girls in conflict still have a chance to utilise respective spaces to speak up on issues affecting them and to create a better world such as addressing insecurity, lack of access safe education, health services, basic needs and stability. 

She said:

Conflict threatens our future, but it does not take away our resilience or our hope. Today I am privileged to hold the flag not only for myself but also for the millions of girls around the world who are experiencing the same hardships and to remind the world of our strength and potential to change the world.

Tiffany Kirlew, the British Deputy High Commissioner said:

It’s been a privilege spending the day with Peace, and for her to be inspired by the work that senior female diplomats do. My message to her and to other girls is, live your full potential, never let your situation or circumstance define you.  I am hopeful that this experience today will demonstrate that girls have the potential to be anything they want to be, and that roadblocks can just be a mindset.

Peace called upon Government and agencies like British High Commission who are at the centre of driving humanitarian agenda to:

• support young girls in every community, in the schools, families and anywhere to rise and speak up and defend their rights to achieve their dreams
• create safe environments for girls and boys by educating parents on child development
• provide quality education and life skills for girls