The International Day of the Girl was Wednesday, and yesterday saw the Girls Igniting Real Leadership event in Southport.

The afternoon was highlighted by a presentation from Minister of Sustainable Development Rochelle Squires.

Minister of Sustainable Development Rochelle Squires"I was just excited to share with the girls a vision for their leadership," explains Squires. "And I was really excited to just meet these girls who are leaders in their own way. I will consider my work a success, and the work of the women of my generation a success, if these girls can go out and step into leadership positions and not face gender-based harassment, and not be faced with bias against their gender. Society must fully embrace them in whatever they choose, whether that be trades, commerce of one of the stem fields."

She adds her advice to young women is to build up their network and always work with a team of other young women who are on the same track they are. Squires says it's also important for girls to lift one another up. She notes there's room for all women and girls at the top, and they can support each other on their journey toward leadership.

Sarah NadeauCo-facilitator Sarah Nadeau says she got involved after her sister, Alexandréa, started the effort last year, and is now in university. She adds she was personally interested in what changes they can make to help more women in the future.

Rotary representative and Girl Event chair Jean-Marc Nadeau explains it's important to empower women in our day, and says they're hoping the girls will implement what they've learned and return in march of next year to share their progress."

Jean-Marc Nadeau Nadeau says Alexandréa was part of the first GIRL's event in 2012 when the UN proclaimed the International Day of the Girl. Four years later she told him she really enjoyed that day, but no follow-up seemed to have occurred. After discussing it with him and others, they started the effort last year. It's now taken place two years in a row. Alexandréa went to Rotary in June and made a presentation to the youth committee of Rotary, and made the second event a reality.