WIREDGOV

Young people from around the world attended DFID's #YouthforChange event. 

Students from Castle Park Primary School in Kendal, Cumbria have won the Department for International Development’s annual ‘Shape the Future’competition, International Development Secretary Justine Greening revealed.

Announced at the department’s #YouthForChange summit, supported by actress and campaigner Freida Pinto, the contest challenged UK schoolchildren to submit their best ideas on how to improve the life chances of girls and women in developing countries.

The campaigns and ideas set out at #YouthForChange will be presented at the UK’s Girl Summit 2014 where political leaders, celebrities and campaigners from around the world will gather on Tuesday 22 July to build international support for ending female genital mutilation and child, early and forced marriage in a generation.

Announcing the results of the Shape the Future competition, Justine Greening said:

When I visit schools across the UK I am always struck by how much young people care about what is going on in the rest of the world.

The excellent entries to this year’s Shape the Future competition show that British schoolchildren understand the challenges facing girls and boys in developing countries. Young people are the change-makers of tomorrow and Castle Park’s entry shows that they want to be part of the solution for a better future.

Huge congratulations to everyone who took part. Together we can create a world where all girls and women fulfil their potential free from discrimination and violence.

Schools across the country entered this year’s Shape the Future competition, and 2 others reached the final at #YouthForChange – Raynes Park High School in South West London and St Swithun’s School in Winchester, Hampshire. The winners were chosen by panel of young people and development experts at the #YouthforChange summit.

Notes to editors

1. Competition winners Castle Park Primary School in Kendal, Cumbria explored how education can make the world a better place by giving girls and women voice, choice and control over their * lives. Their video entry compared the achievement of equal rights for women in Britain with the reality of forced marriage, illiteracy, extreme poverty and a lack of education facing girls and women in developing countries.
2. Highly Commended Raynes Park High School in South West London addressed challenging questions about girls’ education, early and forced marriage and FGM in their video entry to promote gender equality.
3. Highly Commended St Swithun’s School in Winchester, Hampshire identified girls’ education as the solution to improving life for girls and women in developing countries. Their video entry suggested ways to raise global awareness of the importance of education.