Girl Societies
Indigenous cultures throughout the world have experienced diminished female decision-making and control of resources due to colonization. Through IMAGEN, IJC seeks to help communities to reweave their social fabric by establishing neighborhood-level “Girl Societies” where matrilineal knowledge and skills can be passed on to the next generation. This “girl-centered” approach is evidence-based and has been used with positive results in many low-income communities around the world.
Building off of decades of programmatic research and lessons learned, IJC brings locally-led indigenous organizations together to propose innovative ways to reclaim female social infrastructure and matrilineal traditions. Through this framework, girl-centered programs adapted to the local context are built to impart important skills, safe havens, and mentor networks to Native girls. IJC supports the efforts of different organizations through grants, resources, and workshops.
Image credit: MLBO
To increase their safety and sense of support, girls are invited to attend a weekly talking circle in a reclaimed safe space – one that is close enough to walk or easily get a lift to so that all girls have access. They are mentored by local adult women and furnished with a place to de-stress, heal, bond, and learn.
Image credit: MLBO
Where We Work
Image credit: OKCIC
Meetings are held on the same day and time each week. If a girl is missing, the group facilitators can check on her. We believe this approach acts as an early warning system and helps in stemming the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG).
The girl-centered approach is flexible and has adapted well to many cultural contexts. At IJC we are working with our partners to develop resources, such as toolkits and sample curricula, to help people and organizations start their own Girl Societies.
Available resources include:
Webinars featuring our partners sharing best practices, challenges, and strategies when running a Girl Society.
Image credit: TVCDC
