Attending the Women Deliver Conference in Rwanda from the 17th to the 20th of July 2023 was an incredible opportunity for me as a movement actor of Mifali. It was a privilege to meet with young leaders, activists, and other adolescents from around the world. The conference provided a platform for engaging in various side events and discussions centered around crucial topics such as menstrual health, gender-based violence, and the empowerment of women and girls. This article aims to share my transformative experience at the conference and highlights the valuable lessons learned about movement building, leadership, and the challenges faced by women and girls worldwide.
One of the main highlights of the conference was the numerous side events I attended, which focused on tackling various global issues such as: period poverty, WASH, MHM, Menstrual stigma etc. And also, on girls resistance and power.
Moreover, I also had the chance to participate in a fireside chat with Nobel prize winner Malala Yousafzai and her father that was centered around Intergenerational leadership. Listening to Malala shared her journey and experience especially around the pursuit for girls’ education and the fight for gender equality, I was so touched. I could see my experience in her struggle, being a victim myself of child marriage and who had to battle to get out of the marriage and pursuit my education. There was no doubt that Malala’s story encouraged us all to continue advocating for equal opportunities and rights for girls wherever we are.
Another impactful session I attended focused on “Building Movements for Safe and Ethical Technology in GBV/SRHR.” As you all know, we now live in a world with emerging technologies and recent study shows that the digital and Tech-space is now new breeding grounds for online gender-based violence on women and girls. At this event, the speakers explored how technology could be utilized to prevent gender-based violence (GBV) and promote sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). Discussing strategies for utilizing technology in educating people about SRHR and preventing GBV sparked innovative ideas and provided hope for creating safer communities.
Even as a participant at Women Deliver, I was also a speaker at the side event jointly organized by Co-hosted by: MIFALI,Women for a Change (Wfac), SGI & NGO Committee on the Status of Women, New York (NGO CSW/NY), which sort to looked at “Movement Building Lessons from Adolescents and Young Feminist Leaders”. The event explored the essence of movement building, the importance of leadership, impact of creating space, staying in solidarity across movements in advancing gender justice. Sharing my experiences and insights as a movement actor equally helped me reflect and listen to other’s experiences and challenges faced on a daily basis as a movement actor.
Last but not the least, there was a session that highlighted stories of girls worldwide who have demonstrated immense resilience in the face of adversity. The session was themed “Stories on Girls’ Resistance”. It was so much joy listening and reading some of these brave and powerful stories from girls leading change. These stories acted as testaments to the strength and determination of girls to overcome challenges and advocate for their rights.
Overall, attending the Women Deliver Conference was an unforgettable experience that left an indelible mark on my journey as a movement actor. The connections made, lessons learned, and stories shared have given me a newfound inspiration and determination to continue advocating for the empowerment of women and girls in my community and beyond. This conference served as a reminder that through collective action, solidarity, and innovative solutions, we can create a world where every woman and girl can thrive and fulfill her true potential.
