African leaders mingling with NGO representatives, youth advocates, engaged citizens, and a rising pop singer? It must be a Global Citizen event.
Last night, Global Citizen kicked off its “Be the Generation” campaign with a special reception organized alongside the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) that brought together government leaders, youth advocates, and Global Citizen’s first-ever youth ambassador, Sophie Beem.
The event, “Year of Mandela: Marching Together to Achieve Gender Equality,” sounded out a powerful call for increasing access to health and nutrition, and bringing about an end to gender discrimination around the world.
Mwandwe Chileshe, a youth advocate from Zambia, and Sophie Beem, Global Citizen's first-ever youth ambassador, pose in front of the Year of Mandela Declaration.
Mwandwe Chileshe, a youth advocate from Zambia, and Sophie Beem, Global Citizen's first-ever youth ambassador, pose in front of the Year of Mandela Declaration.
Take Action: Be the Generation to End Extreme Poverty
Co-hosted by the Government of Rwanda, which is currently Chair of the African Union, the reception came on the second night of the United Nations’ CSW conference — where government leaders from around the world are currently gathered to discuss women and girls’ empowerment, with a focus on rural communities.
It was an opportunity for government leaders, advocates, and other attendees to learn about Global Citizen’s campaigns on health, gender discrimination in the law, and combating neglected tropical diseases, or NTDs.
On stage in front of a seated crowd of more than 150 people, Leticia Pfeffer, senior manager for global policy and government affairs at Global Citizen, introduced Global Citizen’s #BeTheGeneration campaign and unveiled the Year of Mandela Declaration, which has already received more than 4,000 signatures since International Women’s Day, and which attendees were invited to sign afterward.
Michael Sheldrick, Vice President of Global Policy and Government Affairs at Global Citizen, delivers a speech at “Year of Mandela: Marching Together to Achieve Gender Equality" event.
Michael Sheldrick, Vice President of Global Policy and Government Affairs at Global Citizen, delivers a speech at “Year of Mandela: Marching Together to Achieve Gender Equality" event.
“Mandela, above all, saw women's rights as fundamental tenets of human rights and equality,” Pfeffer said on stage. “That’s why, in the year that the late leader would have turned 100, Global Citizen is thrilled to launch #BeTheGeneration. It’s a year-long campaign rooted in the legacy of great leaders like Nelson Mandela, to challenge global citizens to raise their voices — together — to stand up for gender equality.”
Mandela, of course, was a tireless advocate for women and girls, both during his presidency and afterward, and notably said that, “As long as women are bound by poverty, human rights will lack substance.”
Read More: 4 Ways Nelson Mandela Fought for Women’s Rights
Mandela’s legacy of uplifting women and girls resonated throughout the evening, as speakers Espérance Nyirasafari, Cabinet Minister of Gender and Family Promotion in the Cabinet of Rwanda; Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women; Mwandwe Chileshe, a youth advocate from Zambia; Ellen Agler, CEO of the END Fund; and Bathabile Dlamini, South Africa Minister of Women in the Presidency; took the stage to call for gender equality.
“In order to press for progress, we must end gender discriminatory laws where they still exist,” Nyirasafari said.
.@nyirasafariespe, @RwandaGender Minister: “We call for global action to eradicate #NTDs...we call for commitment and action to realize...the Africa we want” #BeTheGeneration#CSW62@RwandaUN@VRugwabizapic.twitter.com/zW2DDXPcFa
— Global Citizen Impact (@GlblCtznImpact) March 13, 2018
Mlambo-Ngcuka also called for an end to laws that discriminate against women and girls.
“We still have 39 countries that basically say, ‘marry your rapist,’ she said. “Not under our watch. We have to make sure that all those laws are eradicated.”
Read More: 9 Inspirational Quotes From Nelson Mandela's Iconic London Speech
In order to end gender discrimination and inequality, more than just laws will need to change, other presenters said.
Agler, of the END Fund, spoke about the challenge of eliminating neglected tropical diseases, which disproportionately affect women in low-income countries — and can have generational impacts when they affect pregnant women. Using a large pasta jar filled with dried worms as a shock-inducing visual aid, Agler sounded out a call for an end to NTDs.
.@EllenAgler CEO of @TheENDFund shows what 200 round worms looks like and calls for attention and intervention on #NTDS. #BeTheGeneration#CSW62pic.twitter.com/pOeX1TpNlg
— Global Citizen Impact (@GlblCtznImpact) March 13, 2018
“The diseases are not neglected,” she said. “It’s the people that are neglected.”
Likewise, Chileshe, the youth advocate from Zambia, captivated the audience as she spoke first-hand of her experiences with malnutrition growing up in southern Africa.
“A lot of women and girls do not have access to what they need,” she said. “Nutrition gives women and girls the ability to succeed and to dream.”
Read More: 7 Ways Nelson Mandela’s Legacy Still Resonates Today
Of course, no Global Citizen event is complete without a brief musical interlude. On Tuesday, that came in the form of Sophie Beem, an 18-year-old pop singer — and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter protegé — whose song “Glow” has already turned heads in the music world.
On stage, Beem performed “Glow,” as well as a cover of “Beautiful” by Christina Aguilera, and also caught up with Global Citizen after the event.
“Changing women and girls’ lives is something I think about on a daily basis,” Beem told Global Citizen. “For me to be the [first-ever Global Citizen youth ambassador] is such an honor.”
“‘Be the Generation’ is an amazing cause because it’s the youth and the next generation coming together and realizing that we do need to make a change,” she added.
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women, signs the Year of Mandela Declaration.
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women, signs the Year of Mandela Declaration.
Global Citizen campaigns on the Global Goals for Sustainable Development, including goals number two, three, and five: zero hunger, good health and well-being, and gender equality, respectively. You can join us and take action on this issue here.