Black Girls Bill of Rights
Originating from the groundbreaking Black Girl Movement Conference in 2016, this declaration was created by Black girls across the United States who wanted a world that values and empowers them. Inspired by the principles of the US Bill of Rights, it outlines the rights and privileges that Black girls and women deserve to thrive in today's society.
Although the rights in this Bill of Rights apply to both Black girls and boys, Black girls face additional challenges due to the intersections of gender and racial inequality. These challenges arise from their gender, race, and other social factors. As parents and caregivers raising Afro-Swiss/Afro-European girls, we use this Bill of Rights as a guide to support our daughters, nieces and students.
Whether our daughters, nieces and students identify with being Black culturally or ethnically or they chose to embrace their dual Afro-Swiss/Afro-European heritage, we use the following rights to make sure they are celebrated, empowered, and aware of their rights. It's important to understand that race is a construct, and the prejudice and bias they encounter may vary based on how they are read/present or their position within society's intersecting factors. Consequently, their lived experiences may differ. This Bill of Rights acts as a tool to nurture their self-worth and advocate for the opportunities and fair treatment they deserve.
Every Black girl deserves:
The right to education and information about African and Black history
The right to express our Blackness however we define it without judgment
The right to be safe and have our physical, emotional, and mental health honored, protected, and nurtured
The right to real sex education, contraception, tampons, and pads
The right to agency and control over our own bodies in every space
The right to justice and reparations
in response to harm and sexual assault
when police officers murder people of color
The right to play and have fun
The right to community, sisterhood, and support from other girls
The right to BE - exactly who we are, free from stereotypes and insecurity, our full unique selves
To learn more about the Black Girl Movement Conference in 2016, the Bill of Rights, or to support the cause, please visit the website using the following link.
