Driving Impact Together: How Partnerships are Powering Vaccine Equity for Girls

A Mission to Reimagine Vaccine Equity

As we mark the end of World Immunization Week, we’re reminded that vaccine hesitancy and inequity continue to put millions of lives at risk, particularly girls in underserved communities. Ranked by the World Health Organization as one of the top ten global health threats, vaccine hesitancy contributed to over 20 million children missing critical vaccines in 2022. Yet, where others see barriers, Girl Effect sees transformative opportunities.

Committed to ensuring every girl has access to life-saving vaccines and the chance to thrive, we partner with organizations like Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance , and UNICEF to dismantle myths, address systemic barriers, and drive vaccine demand, particularly for the HPV vaccine, a vital tool in cervical cancer prevention. We operate as part of a broader ecosystem, working closely with ministries of health and local partners to ensure equitable vaccine access. Through digital innovation, grassroots mobilization, and youth-centered media, our collaborative efforts focus on reaching the girls and communities who need them most.

Real Stories, Real Impact

Harnessing the Power of Youth-Led Learning: In Ethiopia, Girl Effect’s 60 youth groups and school clubs empower young people to creatively champion vaccine awareness. Using drama, poetry, and peer-driven media, the students shed light on HPV and routine immunization, reaching thousands of parents and classmates. Co-creation with young people is central to our strategy—empowering young leaders to not only help design engaging and relatable content but also act as peer advocates, turning vaccine hesitancy into trust.

Transforming Community Behaviors through Engaging Gatekeepers: In Kaduna State, Nigeria, we are collaborating with community leaders to dismantle myths and foster vaccine acceptance. At a recent event, a district leader vaccinated his three daughters, inspiring other parents to follow suit —a vivid demonstration of the influence gatekeepers wield in driving change. In Delta State, a local champion touched by the tragic loss of his aunt to cervical cancer became a vocal advocate for HPV vaccination, spurring his community to prioritize immunization. Women leaders are also playing pivotal roles in encouraging uptake, vaccinating their daughters, and motivating other mothers to do the same, sparking a ripple effect of awareness and action.

Supporting Local Government to Expand Vaccine Access: By leveraging digital innovations and in-person outreach events, in partnership with ministries of health, we bring critical vaccination services to hard-to-reach communities. In Tanzania, our  Mwanzo Mwema (‘Good Beginning’ in Swahili) program eliminated barriers to vaccine access by delivering services directly to a young mother’s remote village, saving her a strenuous three-hour journey to the nearest clinic.

Equipping Community Health Workers with Digital Tools: Across Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Tanzania, health extension workers are empowered by our Champions model and mobile application, which provides interactive guides and training tools tailored to zero-dose communities. These digital resources ensure relatable, effective vaccine education and foster community trust.

“When I’m giving vaccines, more people show up because of the education I’ve provided through the app.” – Health Worker, Ethiopia

Together, these stories and initiatives illuminate the profound impact trusted voices and localized strategies have in transforming vaccine equity and building healthier futures.

Results that Matter

Innovation and dedication have propelled our vaccine awareness initiatives, reaching vast audiences and generating meaningful outcomes across regions:

• 9.8+ million viewers engaged with impactful immunization-focused stories in Ethiopia.
• Reached 50+ million people through vaccine awareness campaigns globally.
• 19.5K children under 5 vaccinated with routine immunizations in Tanzania through the Ministry of Health in 2024.
• 40K+ people engaged via community discussions on immunization in Ethiopia and Tanzania via our Champions app

These achievements spotlight the profound reach of our work with our partners and the tangible difference the initiatives make in creating healthier, thriving communities. Together, we’re driving change, one story, one initiative, one life-saving vaccine at a time.

Join Us

The theme of World Immunization Week—“Immunization for All is Humanly Possible”—is not just a slogan. It’s a vision we are making real every day as a proud champion of Gavi’s bold mission to vaccinate 86 million adolescent girls by the end of 2025.

We’re inviting you—whether as a partner, champion, or supporter—to help us go further. Together, we can drive trust, spark action, and ensure girls everywhere grow up healthy and empowered.

Let’s create a world where no girl is left behind—one story, one vaccine, one life at a time.

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