Inspired by The Huffington Post’s article on the 50 Best Moments for Women in 2011, we decided to do our own version here on the blog. Check out our roundup of big stories in 2011 that have a pro-girl twist!

A day for girls: Many of you were part of this history! As the year 2011 drew to a close, Plan’s campaign was successful, and the UN declared October 11 the annual International Day of the Girl Child. Stay tuned for the first official Day of the Girl coming up in October 2012!

Princess power: For centuries, the British throne went to the first born son of the king or queen. In 2011, they changed the rules: now the first born child – son or daughter – will be first in line for the crown!

It’s a girl!: The world expected that the 7 billionth baby would be a girl born in India, where a baby is born every second. Instead, Danica May Camacho, a little girl, was born to her parents in the Philippines.

Peaceful ladies: In 2011, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to three women – Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Leymah Gbowee, and Tawakkol Karman – “for their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women’s rights to full participation in peace-building work.”

Rise up: The Arab Spring, with revolutions occurring all over the Middle East and North Africa, had women activists standing alongside men. It makes sense, because democracy isn’t democracy with only one half of the population involved. The Occupy Movement is another place where women raised their voices alongside male protesters.

Did we catch them all? What do you think was the best moment for girls last year?

(Photo credit: NS Newsflash)

Because I am a Girl report is now Girl Friendly! Plan has just launched a youth-friendly version of the annual Because I am a Girl report which follows a group of girls from birth to age 9 (they’re currently three years old). Check out the report here.

Making babies political: the Canadian government has made maternal health a priority as it hosts the G8 summit in Muskoka this summer, but it has decided to exclude contraception from its initiative. The Globe and Mail looks closer at this issue. Check out more coverage on this topic here and here.

Next week is World Water Week. We’ll be talking here about how water plays a roll in women’s lives around the world. If you want to dig deeper into water issues, check out TVO’s Water Week series.

Taking Girl Power to the United Nations
A burning desire to improve the lives of girls everywhere has catapulted 17-year-old Saba Ghahari from her Stoney Creek home to New York City today where she is at the United Nations fighting youth gender inequities and injustices…

The war on baby girls: Gendercide
Killed, aborted or neglected, at least 100m girls have disappeared—and the number is rising…

Gender Matters!  Can the UN Bring Change?
Blogger Wendy Harcourt suggests that “There is a sense that Beijing promises were great on paper but the implementation has not brought women’s rights nor freedom and autonomy to the centre of development.” She concludes her comments on the recent conference by saying “As usual, I and most of the women here have many more questions than answers.”

Also check out:

IPS TerraViva is a special site created for the Commission on the Status of Women meeting in New York by the IPS news site that “gives voice to gender equality” (put it in your bookmarks!).  Here are some of the stories that they reported during the conference on issues faced by women, including lack of access to income, sexual violence, water shortages, maternal rights, and access to land.

And if you didn’t hear enough from the Speakers’ Bureau’s visit to New York, check out all their posts here.