https://www.girlsglobe.org Gender equality, human rights and social justice. Thu, 05 Jun 2025 08:37:09 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.1 https://i0.wp.com/www.girlsglobe.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/girlsglobe_icon_green2-1.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 https://www.girlsglobe.org 32 32 128553070 https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/06/05/jacqueline-dunkley-bent-midwifery-maternal-health-and-inequality/ https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/06/05/jacqueline-dunkley-bent-midwifery-maternal-health-and-inequality/#respond Thu, 05 Jun 2025 08:37:02 +0000 https://www.girlsglobe.org/?p=66588 Professor Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent OBE is the Chief Midwife of the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM). 

Jacqueline has a tremendous career in midwifery clinical practice and leadership. Prior to joining ICM, Jacqueline served as the first Chief Midwifery Officer for the NHS in England and was one of two National Maternity Safety Champions appointed by the Department for Health and Social Care. She is a registered nurse and midwife and holds honorary doctorates from Worcester and Winchester Universities in the UK and a visiting Professorship in Midwifery at Kings College London and London South Bank University.

In this episode, Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent shares some incredible stories from her career in midwifery, including leading national midwifery initiatives during COVID.

Julia and Jacqueline talk about the needs of midwives and the status of maternal health worldwide. They discuss inequality and inequity of care and outcomes for women and mothers between regions and within countries - and the need for data in combination with the stories of women’s lived realities. Jacqueline speaks about her work with ICM and the importance of midwifery leadership through the crises we are witnessing in the world today.]]> https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/06/05/jacqueline-dunkley-bent-midwifery-maternal-health-and-inequality/feed/ 0 66588 https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/05/23/neha-mankani-midwifery-and-the-climate-crisis/ https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/05/23/neha-mankani-midwifery-and-the-climate-crisis/#respond Fri, 23 May 2025 11:35:50 +0000 https://www.girlsglobe.org/?p=66577 Neha Mankani is a community midwife and global health practitioner from Pakistan with a strong focus on reproductive health and rights in crisis situations, emergency response and climate-affected communities. 

Neha is the Humanitarian and Climate Engagement Advisor at the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) and the founder of the Mama Baby Fund; a financial emergency fund for maternal and neonatal healthcare in Pakistan. She has extensive experience in SRHR and maternal and neonatal health clinical practice, programming, and midwifery advocacy both at the local and global levels.

In this episode, Neha shares stories from her work with the coastal communities outside of Karachi, Pakistan and why she stared Mama Baby Fund. As a midwife with the ICM, Julia and Neha talk about how to build resilience in communities affected by the climate crisis and the critical role that midwives have.]]> https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/05/23/neha-mankani-midwifery-and-the-climate-crisis/feed/ 0 66577 https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/03/05/christine-sayo-kenya/ https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/03/05/christine-sayo-kenya/#respond Wed, 05 Mar 2025 11:05:21 +0000 https://www.girlsglobe.org/?p=66385 Christine Sayo is a passionate communications specialist and environmentalist from Kenya.

She is a lover of human rights and advocates for the rights of women and girls. Christine has been working in the NGO space for over fifteen years and has a dream to write and produce a TV show about non-profit organizations.  

In this episode, Christine Sayo discusses:

- why she began calling herself an environmentalist when working on her Master’s Degree and working for a non-governmental organization producing a show on environmental issues…
- facing the challenge of breaking down jargon so people can better understand environmental issues…
- for her Master's thesis, focusing on how the media can best communicate about environment issues…
- having her thesis published and being recruited by the environmental movement, Let's Do It! World, to be a representative in Kenya…
- in 2016, launching the non-profit Let's Do It! Kenya …
- hosting the first “cleanup” day in Kenya and having 20,000 people participate…
- the importance of engaging young people to drive change…
- traveling to different countries to discuss environmental challenges and solutions…
- the reminder that “every small step counts”…
- with her colleagues working in other countries, championing the successful effort to have the United Nations declare September 20 as World Cleanup Day…
- discovering that many of the grassroots efforts to conserve the environment were being led by women and young girls…
- working to have these women and girls included in decision-making spaces…
- the importance of mentorship and coaching.]]> https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/03/05/christine-sayo-kenya/feed/ 0 66385 https://www.girlsglobe.org/2024/07/10/nesmah-mansoor-yemen-peace-and-climate-justice/ https://www.girlsglobe.org/2024/07/10/nesmah-mansoor-yemen-peace-and-climate-justice/#comments Wed, 10 Jul 2024 08:23:33 +0000 https://www.girlsglobe.org/?p=66042&preview=true&preview_id=66042 Nesmah Mansoor is a Women's Peace and Security expert and a Co-founder of the Peace Track Initiative.

Nesmah is currently serving as their Policy and Communication Senior Officer. She specializes in the intersection of peacebuilding and climate justice and is Peace Track Initiative’s focal point for Feminist Climate Justice issues. Nesmah is also pursuing a master's degree in International Relations at Inalco, Paris, with a focus on Security Studies.

In this episode Nesmah Mansoor speaks with Julia Wiklander about Yemen. Nesmah shares her journey as a changemaker, from challenging gender norms as a child to using her voice to raise awareness about the situation in Yemen. She gives us a very clear and comprehensive overview of the complex history of Yemen, including the civil war and the impact on the people, particularly the internally displaced persons (IDPs). She continues to emphasize the dire humanitarian crisis in Yemen and the challenges faced by IDPs, including lack of access to clean water and sanitation.

Nesmah and Julia talk about the Houthis involvement in the issue of Palestine and the ongoing genocide in Gaza, through their attacks on ships in the Red Sea. Nesmah addresses the misconception that the Houthi rebels are heroes, highlighting their primary role in the conflict that has killed hundreds of thousands of Yemenis and currently continue to violate human rights.

"Militarization is the elephant in the room. Militarization, in all its forms, should be addressed for us to address the climate crisis." - Nesmah Mansoor

This episode covers the interconnectedness of peace, climate change, and justice movements. Nesmah Mansoor emphasizes the importance of understanding the root causes of conflicts and the impact of militarization on both peace and the environment. She also highlights the resilience and activism of women in Yemen and their role in peacebuilding.

It's a podcast about hope and resilience in the most challenging of circumstances.]]> https://www.girlsglobe.org/2024/07/10/nesmah-mansoor-yemen-peace-and-climate-justice/feed/ 1 66042 https://www.girlsglobe.org/2024/07/03/solidarity-studio-deepti-mathew-on-street-business-school/ https://www.girlsglobe.org/2024/07/03/solidarity-studio-deepti-mathew-on-street-business-school/#respond Wed, 03 Jul 2024 08:16:26 +0000 https://www.girlsglobe.org/?p=66026&preview=true&preview_id=66026 Deepti Mathew is the Chief Executive Officer at Street Business School. She has over 25 years of experience leading complex, global projects as a strategy and transformation consultant with a range of organizations. Deepti grew up in India, Tanzania and Cameroon, and is committed to development and improving livelihoods for the world’s most vulnerable. 

Street Business School empowers women to become thriving entrepreneurs, lifting themselves and their families to a more vibrant future.

In the Girls' Globe Solidarity Studio, Deepti Mathew speaks with Felogene Anumo about Street Business School's offerings and what feminist solidarity looks like.

Watch the conversation or listen on the Hey Changemaker! Podcast. ]]> https://www.girlsglobe.org/2024/07/03/solidarity-studio-deepti-mathew-on-street-business-school/feed/ 0 66026 https://www.girlsglobe.org/2024/06/05/chiara-martinelli-on-the-climate-impact-of-the-eu-elections/ https://www.girlsglobe.org/2024/06/05/chiara-martinelli-on-the-climate-impact-of-the-eu-elections/#respond Wed, 05 Jun 2024 07:05:16 +0000 https://www.girlsglobe.org/?p=65953&preview=true&preview_id=65953 "These elections are again like a crucial test for the European climate action."
- Chiara Martinelli

Chiara Martinelli is the Director of Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe.

In this episode, Julia Wiklander speaks with Chiara Martinelli about the upcoming EU Elections and what they mean for European climate action.

Chiara Martinelli emphasizes the importance of science. She speaks about the strength of people's pressure and positive progress that is a result of climate movements.

Chiara continues to speak about the two democratic threats facing Europe right now - and the risks of going backwards. She encourages citizens to go and vote, and to use our democratic right to vote for our future.

CAN Europe has also created a scoreboard and a manifesto ahead of the EU Elections. ]]> https://www.girlsglobe.org/2024/06/05/chiara-martinelli-on-the-climate-impact-of-the-eu-elections/feed/ 0 65953 https://www.girlsglobe.org/2024/06/04/why-we-need-gender-responsive-climate-finance/ https://www.girlsglobe.org/2024/06/04/why-we-need-gender-responsive-climate-finance/#respond Tue, 04 Jun 2024 09:05:47 +0000 https://www.girlsglobe.org/?p=65899&preview=true&preview_id=65899 A new global climate finance goal is on the horizon. As negotiations progress, it’s essential that gender equality is not overlooked. Here’s why.   What is climate finance?   The United Nations defines climate finance as any monetary contribution that “seeks to support mitigation and adaptation actions that will address climate change”. This includes money that climate-vulnerable […]]]> https://www.girlsglobe.org/2024/06/04/why-we-need-gender-responsive-climate-finance/feed/ 0 65899 https://www.girlsglobe.org/2024/06/03/the-eus-hypocrisy-from-human-rights-abuses-to-climate-inaction/ https://www.girlsglobe.org/2024/06/03/the-eus-hypocrisy-from-human-rights-abuses-to-climate-inaction/#comments Mon, 03 Jun 2024 16:52:20 +0000 https://www.girlsglobe.org/?p=65867 Since its foundation, the European Union has prided itself in standing up for human rights, dignity and freedom. It has seen itself as a light in the world for upholding justice, solidarity and equality.

Yet, time and time again, the actions of the European Union don't match the words they put on paper. And recently, we're seeing more examples of EU decisions that contradict its own treaties.

EU's hypocrisy can be seen in the human rights abuses it funds in other countries, it's crackdown on minority rights within member states or through its inaction for our shared climate.

This post details one of these hypocrisies and shares examples of others.

The European elections, taking place later this week, are important to take a stand for humanity and to turn the tide of European hypocrisy.

Therefore, we must understand which parties and members of European Parliament are willing to break the cycle of EU's hypocrisy.

Several international expert organizations and human rights and advocacy networks have conducted research to help us do so. ]]> https://www.girlsglobe.org/2024/06/03/the-eus-hypocrisy-from-human-rights-abuses-to-climate-inaction/feed/ 1 65867 https://www.girlsglobe.org/2024/05/16/emmanuel-achiri-on-the-eu-migration-pact-and-europes-identity-crisis/ https://www.girlsglobe.org/2024/05/16/emmanuel-achiri-on-the-eu-migration-pact-and-europes-identity-crisis/#respond Thu, 16 May 2024 09:21:19 +0000 https://www.girlsglobe.org/?p=65819&preview=true&preview_id=65819 Emmanuel Achiri is the Policy and Advocacy Officer at the European Network Against Racism (ENAR) and an expert on migration, policing and security. He holds a doctorate in International Relations with a focus on international law and forced migration.

Emmanuel discusses the contradictions within the EU Migration Pact, which claims to address structural racism while legitimizing racial profiling and criminalization of migrants.

He highlights the crisis of European identity and the failure to acknowledge Europe's historical role in creating instability in other parts of the world.

The conversation explores the need for a transformational approach to social justice and migration in Europe. It highlights the shortcomings of the EU elections in addressing these issues and the importance of voting for human rights.

"When Europeans ignore the destruction of fundamental human rights principles, eventually this would move from just migrants to the rest of Europe," says Emmanuel Achiri

This episode is a part of a new series of the Hey Changemaker! Podcast called In The Deep End. ]]> https://www.girlsglobe.org/2024/05/16/emmanuel-achiri-on-the-eu-migration-pact-and-europes-identity-crisis/feed/ 0 65819 https://www.girlsglobe.org/2024/05/02/solidarity-studio-mwanahamisi-singano-on-feminist-solidarity/ https://www.girlsglobe.org/2024/05/02/solidarity-studio-mwanahamisi-singano-on-feminist-solidarity/#respond Thu, 02 May 2024 09:16:18 +0000 https://www.girlsglobe.org/?p=65765&preview=true&preview_id=65765 "I strongly feel that the world is like a puzzle. One piece of the puzzle is not important than another."

Mwanahamisi “Mishy” Singano joins us in the Girls' Globe Solidarity studio and talks about WEDO, the Women's Environment and Development Organization, and what feminist solidarity means to her.

]]> https://www.girlsglobe.org/2024/05/02/solidarity-studio-mwanahamisi-singano-on-feminist-solidarity/feed/ 0 65765