Girls Belong Here

About Girls Belong Here

Girls Belong Here is an annual initiative pioneered by Plan International UK and supported by AstraZeneca’s Young Health Programme (YHP). The initiative raises awareness of gender and health inequalities while giving young women opportunities to step into leadership roles, share their ideas and have their voices heard. Each year, AstraZeneca offices around the world host Girls Takeover events to mark International Day of the Girl on 11 October.

Girls Belong Here Global Activity

We are proud to be the largest Global Supporter of #GirlsBelongHere, championing gender equality and more equitable access to healthcare.

Girls Takeover events take place in more than 30 offices around the world, giving young people the opportunity to experience leadership firsthand by stepping into senior leader roles for the day and participating in discussions on issues that matter to them.

As a science-led company, we are committed to breaking down barriers to healthcare and opportunity, and inspiring more girls and women to pursue careers in STEM - helping build a more equitable future.

Opportunities like Girls Takeover are incredibly important. I think being shown more about pharmaceuticals, about STEM, for girls, is super, super important. There’s less uptake of female employees in pharmaceuticals and in STEM across the board. So, being shown that this is something that you can do, that is achievable, and that people are here to support you is it’s this is the first step in making that change.

Lottie, 16 

Girls Belong Here UK

Having taken part in Girls Belong Here, I’ve seen first-hand the value of creating spaces where young women can share their perspectives, connect with leaders and explore new possibilities for their future. Advancing health equity means breaking down barriers to opportunity, and initiatives like this help young women experience leadership first-hand, broaden their horizons, and envision the role they can play in shaping a healthier, more equitable future.

Paula Pohja-Hutchison Global Head of Health Equity, AstraZeneca Girls Belong Here UK

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