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 QUOTABLE
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"A world full of empowered women isn't one where men are marginalized. It's a world where everybody thrives." |
 - Purnima Mane, president and CEO of Pathfinder International
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DEVELOPMENT BUZZ |
 Time passes quickly.
I met Marie* in 2008 on my first trip to the Democratic Republic of the Congo with the global health organization PSI. She was celebrating her 28th birthday and she was the most sought-after hairdresser in her community. Just a few years earlier, her life was very different. Marie's parents abandoned her and her four siblings when she was 13 because they couldn't afford to care for them. It was only when her little brother died of starvation before her eyes that Marie began selling her body in order to feed her brothers and sisters. With virtually no information or access to modern contraception, it's no surprise that within a year, she became pregnant. She did what many women in her situation do — she resorted to unsafe abortion, which landed her in the hospital. To pay for her treatment, she was forced to have exploitative sex with more men for pennies. At age 23, Marie met a PSI peer educator who told her about HIV prevention and ways to safeguard her reproductive health; she helped Marie enroll in training and find work as a hair stylist. Now, Marie works full-time as a hairdresser. She earns enough money to support herself and her siblings. Marie said she wants children one day, but she was waiting for now. She had little extra time to spend with me as she was doing the hair for a wedding party in her village. There is hardly a day that goes by that I don't think about Marie. When presented with basic health information and vocational training, she transformed her life and she created a ripple effect. She changed the lives of her siblings and the next generation of her family. Her family has a roof over their head, access to basic health care and food to eat, so they can focus on school and their future. Marie is gainfully employed and contributing to her community, which builds the economy. Marie's story is a reminder that good health is a crucial building block in the path out of poverty and that when we invest in girls and women, we lift families, communities and countries. So why is it that the health and rights of girls and women are not getting greater attention when we know investing in them provides incredible social and economic benefits? |
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PHOTO OF THE WEEK |
She learns, she prospers | 
With limited employment and livelihood options. most Afghan women can benefit from technical and vocational training. But how can they access such training amid security risks and insufficient facilities and transportation? Check out the photo here and share your own with us on Facebook. |
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 Here are 10 books that highlight how girls' empowerment can bring a brighter future not only to them, but to the world.
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#INNOV8AID |
 Here are some of the most buzzed-about technologies that may help us reduce poverty, improve health care and boost development around the globe.
READ MORE ON DEVEX.COM
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VUVUZELA |
 She Builds — our monthlong campaign on women and development — may be winding down, but the buzz around it remains strong.
On social media, more big names within and outside the aid industry have joined the conversation. Read more and join the conversation! |
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sponsored announcement |
 Interested to engage in discussions about the present and future of the United Nations with recognized experts and senior U.N. officials in the field of peace and security, development and human rights?
Join the U.N. Summer Academy from June 9 to 13, 2014, in New York! Organized by the U.N. System Staff College at U.N. headquarters and opened by U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson, the third session of the U.N. Summer Academy will focus on: - The role of the United Nations in a rapidly changing world.
- Innovation and technology for development, peace and security.
- Promoting peaceful solutions through mediation.
- Human rights as the minimum rules for a life in dignity.
- Youth and the post-2015 development agenda.
Register now! For more information, contact unsummeracademy@unssc.org. |
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