On June 8, the University of Waterloo welcomed Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of UN Women.
As the keynote speaker at a celebration marking Waterloo’s first year as a champion of the HeForShe Impact 10x10x10 initiative, Mlambo-Ngcuka praised efforts to open doors to girls and women in STEM education, and for leadership in gender equity issues. She issued a challenge to the community to support a growing wave of global change outlined in the UN’s Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
“Your participation in the work of gender equality happens at a very critical time in the world. The world has just adopted … Agenda 2030, which has 17 sustainable development goals. This is the most comprehensive agenda the United Nations has adopted since the Second World War.
“The last time the United Nations adopted an agenda this comprehensive was when the United Nations Charter was adopted. What is critical about this agenda is that it is about every country changing itself, and every country being part of changing the world.
“Unlike the Millennium Development Goals, it is not about developed countries trying to support developing countries. It is recognizing that we all have problems in our countries. We all can make a difference. …
“We know that when there’s a conflict in any part of the world, we all have a problem, because those who live in conflict are turning up on your doorstep, and you have to be part of finding the solution. But we also know that in times of conflict, women and children bear the brunt of suffering. So the gender context within that is quite significant. …
“Inequality has the face of a woman; poverty has the face of a woman. Our HeForShe champions are champions in fighting inequality, because by being part of this family of the United Nations, you are embracing these goals which have highlighted the importance of shared prosperity and leaving no one behind.
“We know that when people are poor in parts of the world, they will do everything: get into unsafe boats, sail across the world in order to find places where they can have a life. …
“When you are talking about equity, you are by and large talking about women and girls, but you’re also talking about men who live in difficult conditions. And in Canada, you are talking about indigenous communities — women and girls in those communities. You’re talking about migrants; you’re talking about refugees; you’re talking about disabled people; you are talking about older women. …
“So there’s a lot of work ahead of us. It is difficult — but the good news is that we think we have a plan. And the plan can make changes but it will not succeed unless we achieve critical mass. So signing up to HeForShe — and not containing your activities just to clicking but becoming an activist offline — is critical in order to make sure that this critical mass is bringing about change.”
