Last week marked the Girls Human Rights Hub Festival 2026, a powerful multi-day event dedicated to advancing and protecting girls’ human rights around the world. On days two and three of the festival, Lily Robertson and Kitty Robertson volunteered with the organisation, gaining first-hand insight into the work behind the movement.

Day 2, Activist Bootcamp at Irwin Mitchell – included incredible panelists Georgiana Epure, Pragna Patel, Annabelle Woghiren, Laura Coryton MBE and Bianca Morariu. Day 3: Leadership Summit at Hogan Lovells consisted of Fireside Chats with Editor-In-Chief of Harper’s Bazaar Lydia Slater and Member of the Chamber of Deputies of Brazil Soraya Santos MP. As well as Leadership Labs, Networking Sessions and a panel of incredible women: Helen Pankhurst, Mandeep Kaur Sanghera OBE and Dr. Hannah McNicol.

Ahead of the festival, Stonehouse Recruitment Group’s Head of Marketing & People (Kitty Robertson) spoke with Ella Lawrence, Director of Campaigns to learn more about the Girls Human Rights Hub, its mission, and how individuals and organisations can get involved.

What is the Girls Human Rights Hub?

The Girls Human Rights Hub is a global, volunteer-led organisation advocating for the rights of girls aged 11 to 24. Its work centres on legal advocacy, education, and access to resources, all designed to empower girls to lead change themselves.

Rather than directing initiatives from the top down, GHRH supports girls in setting up and running their own local and university-based “hubs”. These hubs are led by the girls themselves, with GHRH providing guidance, legal expertise, and access to networks.

As Ella explains:

“This isn’t an organisation where we dictate what happens. We give girls the resources and support, but they do the work themselves. It’s powered by girls, for girls.”

Why Focus on Girls’ Human Rights?

GHRH was founded by Sultana Tafadar KC, a leading criminal barrister, alongside her daughter Safiyah, after recognising a major gap in global advocacy. While women’s rights are widely acknowledged, many of the harm’s women experience begin much earlier – when they are still girls.

Practices such as child marriage, female genital mutilation (FGM), and gender-based violence disproportionately affect girls and are often carried out under the guise of tradition or religion. GHRH aims to address these realities directly, ensuring girls’ experiences are not overshadowed within broader women’s rights conversations.

The organisation regularly invites survivors, activists, lawyers and campaigners to speak openly about their experiences – creating spaces that are honest, educational and deeply impactful.

The Girls Human Rights Festival

One of GHRH’s flagship initiatives is the Girls Human Rights Festival, first launched as a five-day event in London. The festival brings together girls, legal professionals, activists and leaders from a wide range of industries.

Through panels, workshops and discussions, the festival shows girls that there is no single path into human rights work – and that it’s okay not to have everything figured out.

Ella shared her own experience of coming into the sector later than expected:

“I didn’t study law at university, and I didn’t always know this was where I’d end up. That’s a big part of what the festival is about – showing girls that everyone’s journey is different.”

The festival has grown each year and continues to attract hundreds of attendees, all united by a shared commitment to girls’ rights.

A Fully Volunteer-Led Organisation

One of the most striking aspects of GHRH is that every person involved is a volunteer. From directors to student hub leaders, all contributors balance their involvement alongside full-time jobs, studies or legal training.

“People give their time because they genuinely care. We’ve had students, early-career professionals, and senior leaders all working together – that’s what has made the organisation grow so quickly.”

– GHRH Personnel

Despite operating on a minimal budget, GHRH has expanded rapidly over the past three years, with international reach and growing recognition.

Girls Human Rights Month – February

Looking ahead, GHRH is campaigning to establish February as Girls Human Rights Month, mirroring how March is widely associated with women’s rights.

The month will include:

• The annual Girls Human Rights Festival
• School and university talks
• Workplace fundraising events
• Advocacy with MPs and policymakers
• Corporate pledges supporting girls’ rights

GHRH is encouraging businesses and organisations to:

• Sign a Girls Human Rights Pledge (like Stonehouse have done!)
• Display a commitment badge on their website
• Host an awareness or fundraising event during February
• Nominate speakers to visit schools and universities

How Individuals and Organisations Can Get Involved

There are many ways to support the Girls Human Rights Hub:

For individuals

• Encourage schools or universities to start a GHRH hub
• Attend festivals and events
• Raise awareness within parent-teacher associations
• Advocate for GHRH within your workplace’s CSR initiatives

For organisations

• Partner with GHRH during Girls Human Rights Month
• Host workplace fundraisers or awareness events
• Nominate GHRH as a charity of the year
• Support the annual Girls Human Rights Awards

As GHRH explains, the goal isn’t perfection – it’s momentum:

“We’re not expecting everything at once. We just want organisations to start the conversation and get to know us.”

A Natural Alignment with Stonehouse Recruitment Group

As a recruitment business working closely with councils, legal services and public-sector organisations, Stonehouse Recruitment Group sees a strong alignment between its values and the mission of the Girls Human Rights Hub.

By sharing GHRH’s work with clients, candidates and partners, Stonehouse hopes to help broaden awareness and encourage meaningful engagement across sectors.