JANA AMIN
UNITED STATES & EGYPT, 18
Project: #17for17: Advocating for Girls' Education
Basic Human Needs: Education
In January 2011 Jana sat with her grandmother baking biscuits to send to the protestors they watched on TV. Nearby, Egyptian women protested a regime that had oppressed them throughout history. At 8-years-old, Jana vowed to advocate for the inclusion of women at decision making tables. She worked on various projects to achieve gender parity and uplift Muslim women, including an organization serving underprivileged girls in Cairo, an NGO supporting refugee women and girls in Jordan, and launching her own online community to connect Muslim-American women with the world. In May 2020 Jana founded #17for17: Advocating for Girls’ Education – a global movement making space for young women in the gender parity space, connecting women with speaking platforms, and making sure their voices are heard and respected. The launch event featured speakers such as the CEO of the Malala Fund and Egypt's Minister of International Development. Since then, Jana has reached 71,000+ people via social media, trained 500 women from 10 countries in public speaking and advocacy, and given them a platform to reach listeners worldwide. Jana was recognized as one of Arab-America's 20 Under 20 Honorees and was asked to present on policy to further gender equality and youth inclusion to 20,000 people+ at the United Nations General Assembly. She will continue her advocacy and research to ensure women are active contributors to the spaces we need them most, develop their visions and have their voices heard.