The half-hour MTV Canada special Girls Of Latitude, debuting Thursday, sees hosts Nicole Holness, Diane Salema, and Aliya-Jasmine Sovani each profile pressing human rights issues in different countries. Brave female citizens speak out about living in the midst of war and poverty; all the while facing hardships such as loss of innocence and lack of proper education.

Nicole heads to Haiti, where the global food crisis is in full fury and hurricanes annually storm the fragile infrastructure. Diane explores Colombia, where an estimated 10,000 children are involved in armed groups, and the citizens are afflicted with the highest murder rate in the world. And Aliya-Jasmine documents the struggles of Sudan, where the potential for a bountiful agricultural industry is largely ignored, and conflict in Darfur has displaced an estimated 1.8 million children from their homes. 

Plan Canada, an international development organization, partnered with MTV Canada to film the special, as part of their global Because I Am A Girl campaign. The campaign’s goal is to improve girls’ quality of life and contribute to a safer future. “The three amazing girls we profiled in Haiti, Colombia, and Sudan are in their communities fighting for their rights,” said Plan Canada producer Steven Theobald, “Girls Of Latitude gives their voices an even greater audience and will hopefully inspire young people here in Canada.” 

Girls Of Latitude premieres on MTV Canada on Thursday, November 13th, at 9:30pm, and on CTV on Friday, November 14th, at 1:00pm. Viewers can check out the entire episode on MTV.ca/girls after the first broadcast, as well as photos, video blogs, and behind-the-scenes footage. Visit MTV.ca/girls or plancanada.ca/youth to find out how you can help. 

– JEN HOUSTON