Charlene Rocha is a 16-year-old activist who wants to see the world change for the better.
“I’m really involved in the climate movement — that’s one thing that I’m really passionate about but I’m also really involved in gender equality,” Rocha said from her home in Pickering, Ont.
The high school student was inspired after attending a climate strike with her sister. She says other activists, like Swedish teen Greta Thunberg and Canadian Autumn Peltier, have been an inspiration to her.
Inspiring other young girls to create change is the motivation behind a new book co-authored by former Conservative MP Rona Ambrose and Jessica Humphries. The International Day of the Girl features stories from girls around the world.
“There are nine girls from nine different parts of the world and, of course, we have a Canadian — her name is Sokanon but she’s actually based on the real-life story of Shannen Koostachin,” said Ambrose.
In 2008, 13-year-old Koostachin began advocating for a new school to be built in her community on the Attawapiskat First Nation. Her campaign became a rallying cry for the educational rights of Indigenous children across the country.
The International Day of the Girl is celebrated each year on Oct. 11. This year marks the day’s ninth anniversary.
International Day of the Girl is published by Kids Can Press, a subsidiary of Corus Entertainment, which owns Global News.
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