The INFO Project Blog

While many at last week’s World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland were wringing their hands over the US housing slump, Jordan’s stunning Queen Rania was ringing in an exciting new campaign with the UN Foundation and Nike-convened Coalition for Adolescent Girls. Read on for Davos diaries from Bangladesh to Guatemala…
Gathered in a room to launch Girls Count, an action plan for targeting girls in international development programming, were representatives from UNICEF, 25 major multinational companies, and 100 world leaders, according to Nike Foundation president Maria Eitel in a YouTube dispatch here.

De Beers, Goldman Sachs, and Standard Charter Bank were among the companies in attendance. Many made substantial pledges. 10 Actions (How Girls Today Can Help End Poverty Tomorrow) were announced.

Addressing “youtubers,” and, indirectly, 500 million adolescent girls living in the developing world, Eitel says,

We agreed to count you–100 world leaders made you a priority.

The video addresses videotaped responses to the Davos Question: What one thing do you think that countries, companies or individuals must do to make the world a better place in 2008?

Here’s outspoken Noor Akhter weighing in from Bangladesh, courtesy of BRAC.

Click here to see what Elvia Raquec has to say to Davos decision makers from Guatemala.