Stand Up for Gender Equality When You Sit Down for Supper: Share a Meal on International Day of the Girl

The world is changing (more rapidly in some places than others) but gender inequality continues to persist. As we work to make the world a place where our daughters and sisters have the same opportunities as our sons and brothers, we need to change the dialogue: we need to start conversations, share our thoughts and ideas and ultimately take control of this transition.

Raising awareness about gender inequality starts with you in your home and community, and it makes a difference for girls and women worldwide. By hosting a CARE Social Supper, you can start the conversation this October 8th!

Imagine This:

You are a 12-year-old girl living in rural India believing you don’t belong in school. Often you’re seen as outsider, you do housework and look after your younger siblings until you marry and move out at about age 14. Being the oldest of five, you assumed the burden in your family. You spend your days at home with your brothers and sisters, feeling trapped while your mother is away cleaning houses and your father struggles to find seasonal work on farms.

The idea of something more has not crossed your mind. The opportunity of being anything more than just a girl following a predefined gender role has created boundaries that you can’t dream beyond. And you wonder, what are the boys dreaming of...?

Photo Credit: Josh Estey

This is Laxmi Pal’s story and she broke that tradition when she set foot in a classroom for the first time, becoming the only member in her immediate family to go to school. When girls like Laxmi, are equipped with the proper resources, they have the power to lift their families and entire communities out of poverty. With girls and women as the majority of the more than 800 million people living in extreme poverty, they are both most affected and most effective in creating change in their communities.

Take Action:

Stand up for gender equality when you sit down for supper this October 8th! Each year, the global community comes together on October 11 to celebrate International Day of the Girl, focusing their collective attention on promoting girls’ empowerment and the fulfillment of their human rights. CARE observes International Day of the Girl because they believe fighting for gender equity is the centerpiece in the fight against global poverty. CARE has more than seven decades of experience and have shown us that women and girls aren’t just the face of poverty. They hold the key to defeating it, too. Simply put, empowered women and girls lift up themselves, their families, their communities — their nations.

Photo Credit: Erin Lubin

This year CARE is inviting supporters like you to host a Social Supper with a small group of family or friends, where you will dine and dialogue about challenges and opportunities faced by girls like Laxmi. Our goal is for CARE Social Suppers to help us increase awareness of issues related to gender inequality while providing a way for you and your guests to learn, collaborate and take action together. Hosting a social supper is easy – CARE provides each host with step-by-step toolkit and discussion guide as well as a unique fundraising URL. To sign up, register at supper.care.org, pick a date between October 7 and 15, and get started inviting your guests. Don’t forget to promote and post about your supper on social media using #SOCIALSUPPER!

Get the toolkit here and other fun resources such as playlists, recipe and mood inspirations here.

Social Suppers around the U.S. will help CARE raise awareness of gender inequality issues in our world, creating opportunities for guests to learn, collaborate, reflect — and act! — together.