Equality Reimagined

 

The Stories from the Future report from Plan International takes us on a journey to 2055 through the eyes of 15 young women from around the world. Created to commemorate the Beijing+30 celebration, these stories imagine what life could be like if governments fully adopted the recommendations made by adolescent girls and young people.

The Beijing+30 celebration

The Beijing+30 celebration is a roadmap for improving the rights of women and girls covering 12 critical areas of concern. It’s the 30th anniversary in 2025 of the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, providing an opportunity to review global progress, understand challenges and reestablish our commitments to equality and the rights of girls and women.

Why these stories matter now more than ever

These aren’t utopian fantasies: Many depict a future in which women and girls still face significant challenges despite decades of progress. Yet in each story, we find powerful glimmers of hope and resilience. They show us what could be possible if humanity truly committed to realizing young people’s vision and empowered them to lead movements for change.

With girls’ rights under threat in so many places today, these realistic yet hopeful visions feel more urgent than ever. The stories remind us that the future these girls dream of requires our action now.

These stories may be fiction, but they’re also a roadmap to the world these young women deserve 30 years from now. The striking illustrations, created by André Arruda with AI image generation from Midjourney, bring their visions vividly to life. Here are some of our favourite stories.

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Girls’ rights in 2055 – A fictional glimpse of the future 

In “So It Never Happens Again,” Kadiata from Guinea explores the tension between remembering painful histories and the desire to forget them. In this powerful story, a 15-year-old girl named Aïcha discovers that her grandmother has left her a hidden digital archive documenting past atrocities against women and girls, including female genital mutilation.

When Aïcha tries to discuss these discoveries, she’s met with resistance: “We don’t talk about these atrocities. ... You shouldn’t be spreading bad ideas around.” The community prefers to leave these painful memories in the past. But Aïcha understands that without keeping these memories alive, history will repeat itself.

In a pivotal moment, she creates a virtual museum using augmented reality, showing visitors the testimonials of survivors who ask: “Preserve these memories as a way to educate future generations about the horrible consequences of gender discrimination, identify early signs of harmful practices and prevent them from escalating.”

By the story’s end, even Aïcha’s father acknowledges: “I thought recalling the past only reopened old wounds, but you taught me today that memories help us shape a better future.”

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8 more stories that inspire gender equality

1. Cultural understanding: When a hijab-wearing traveler from Jordan faces prejudice abroad, her small act of wearing a hoodie with #Human #HijabiByChoice sparks global conversations in “The Wind at Her Back.”
2. Digital empowerment: In “#CodeforChange,” a tech-savvy teen turns crisis into opportunity when her community’s coding centres in Ghana face a shutdown. Her ingenious social media campaign shows that technology can inspire change.
3. Climate leadership: What happens when a nomadic community in Ethiopia with invaluable climate knowledge can’t access education? “The School that Travels the Desert” follows a young woman who creates a revolutionary new way to study that honours Indigenous wisdom while embracing modern education.
4. Ending violence: A teenage filmmaker’s award-winning project in “Not Even One” confronts audiences in Peru with an uncomfortable truth: Despite progress, sexual violence still haunts young women in 2055. Her powerful message? “As long as we have one girl being violated, we will keep fighting.”
5. Political representation: When boys mock the idea of a female president in Sierra Leone, one determined girl decides a century is too long to wait. “Madam President” charts her journey from small-town activist to being the youngest head of state in the world.
6. Sexual and reproductive rights: After seeing a frightened girl hiding in a hospital in Togo, a doctor’s daughter creates “A Medical Centre to Call My Own” – a welcoming space where young people access health care without shame or judgment.
7. Peace building: In “A War That Was Not Theirs in the First Place,” a daughter shares her mother’s story of abduction and survival in Colombia, continuing a legacy of ensuring that women – once used as weapons of war – become architects of lasting peace.
8. Inclusive education: When LGBTQIA+ students face discrimination despite decades of progress, “The School for Everybody” follows a determined student who transforms the national curriculum in the Philippines to truly embrace diversity.

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How can we turn these stories into reality?

To turn these stories into reality, we must move beyond imagining a better future and take action to create it. These young women’s visions show us what’s possible when gender equality is prioritized, but progress depends on collective effort. As American law professor, Kimberlé Crenshaw notes: “If you see inequality as a 'them' problem or 'unfortunate other' problem, that’s a problem.”

Governments, organizations, and individuals all have a role to play in ensuring that girls’ rights are protected, their voices are heard, and their leadership is recognized. By advocating for policies that uphold equality, supporting grassroots movements, and investing in education and opportunities for girls, we can help bring these stories to life – not in 2055, but starting today.