Hollywood Popular Artists

Oct 11th 2013, 19:59, by MTV Act

By Corinne Henneberry

Girl Power was shining bright on October 10, as actress and Plan International's Global Ambassador, Freida Pinto, lit the Empire State Building pink during a ceremony to honor UNICEF's second annual International Day Of The Girl.

The Because I Am A Girl campaign, which includes International Day Of The Girl, creates projects in developing countries to give girls access to human rights such as healthcare, education, and security against violence. The hope is that all children everywhere can have the same opportunities to reach their highest potential. It was a special moment as Freida was joined with Plan International Youth delegates from Egypt, Nepal, and Burkina Faso.

Freida understands how important it is to become an advocate for girl's education and girl empowerment. She often credits the workers at Plan as "the real heroes that are courageous and brave and work tirelessly to see results, truly dedicated to what they do." During a recent trip to Ethiopia, Freida was inspired to see how they accomplished so much with so little resources.  "It makes us put things into prospective and value what we have even more." she says.

As an Indian Actress, Freida has not particularly felt discriminated against, however she does say she has "grown up in a male-dominated country and witnessed situations where a girl could be forced into marriage as opposed to furthering her education in school. Tons of girls experience discrimination, not just in the developing world or countries that need help. It can happen in the workplace, school, and even home!"

She has been greatly inspired by the strength of Malala, the youngest person ever to be recommended for the Nobel Peace Prize. When asked about Malala, Freida proclaimed, "She is a true power, YOU GO GIRL. Malala is putting out a good message to all the girls out there looking for an answer."

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