Thank you, Julia, for giving us a very good reason to share a  #ThrowbackThursday

Former Prime Minister Julia Gillard, just released this adorable #ThrowbackThursday picture of her as a schoolgirl to celebrate International Women’s Day.

Via Julia Gillard’s Facebook page.

The blast from the past is for a very good cause as Ms Gillard is currently the chair of the Global Partnership for Education. In the post she encourages all Australians to stand up for the right of women worldwide to be educated and thus reach their whole potential.

Read more:  The 7 parts of the Julia Gillard interview everyone’s talking about.

Her caption (signed off JG, so you know it’s legit) read, “

I want to see a future where every girl is educated and empowered to reach their full potential, just like I was. I’m sharing my #TBT school photo in solidarity with the 31 million girls around the world who are still denied the right to go to school. On #IWD2015 join me and stand #UpForSchool by signing the upforschool.org petition – JG

“.

Just as a refresher, Miss Gillard currently looks like this:

Via Getty Images.

In 2012, Miss Gillard was at the

Clinton Global Initiative, New York, and

said, “it is our job to ensure that girls not only have access to education, but also to a quality education and unbounded horizons for future opportunity. Our work begins now.

“

Read more: Some of the reasons women miss Julia Gillard.

She raised 5 key areas we still need to work on when it comes to equal access to education– irrespective of gender:

Via Julia Gillard Facebook page.

And because everyone loves a good name-drop, here’s that time Miss Gillard was in our office for an interview with our editor-in-chief, Jamila Rizvi.

And, casually, with our whole office:

And the time before that:

We at Mamamia stand by Miss Gillard and are hopeful for a future where every girl has the right to a free and good education, irrespective of gender.

A World Bank study has found that with every year of secondary school education, http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EDUCATION/Resources/278200-1099079877269/547664-1099079934475/547667-1135281504040/Returns_Investment_Edu.pdf a girl’s future wages are estimated to rise by 18 percent. Half of the 62 million girls around the world currently not attending school are at a higher risk of HIV and AIDS, and falling victims to forms of abuse.

This has to stop.

Read more: Yet again, Julia Gillard handles herself with the utmost poise, grace and dignity.

To celebrate women worldwide and to show your support for the International Women’s Day cause, please consider signing the 

upforschool.org

petition (and perhaps uploading your own #tbt picture encouraging others to do the same).