7 Billion Actions Campaign: Global Advocates Focus on New Media and the Power of Girls and Women

By: Madeline Taskier, Strategic Partnerships Associate at Women Deliver

This week, the 7 Billion Actions campaign established by UNFPA hosted two special events in Washington, DC and New York to unite citizens and highlight positive action for a more sustainable world as the global population reaches 7 billion.  

Yesterday in Washington, UNFPA and National Geographic joined several government agencies and non-governmental organizations in hosting Counting on Each Other: Unleashing the Power of Women and Girls, an event focusing on women and girls as critical engines of change in the reality of 7 billion people.

Speakers, including Dr. Babatunde Osotimehim, Executive Director of UNFPA, Lois Quam, Executive Director of the U.S. Global Health Initiative, and Donald Steinberg, Deputy Director of USAID, emphasized that the key to alleviating poverty and accelerating progress of global development is investing in girls and women.  Dr. Osotimehim underscored the importance of “ensuring that every young woman has access and rights to reach their full potential…the benefits of investing in women and girls are too many to count.”

In a panel following the presentations, leading advocates and youth ambassadors candidly discussed the realities of sex education, involving men and boys in girls’ empowerment, role models for gender equity, and the untapped potential of girls and women around the world.  

The panelists featured solutions that drive progress for girls and women allowing them to contribute fully to society. In a discussion on the importance of educating girls, particularly as a means to fight the practices of female genital mutilation and child marriage, Kakenya Ntaiya, President and Founder of the Kakenya Center for Excellence, urged that “There is so much power in girls. All the potential and power is inside and ready to come out. Let’s get the momentum started.” Monique Coleman, actress and United Nations Youth Champion, described the resilience of young women around the world exemplified by a sanitary napkin project that allowed girls in Kenya to attend school with less absenteeism.

This afternoon in New York, UNFPA is hosting New Media in a World at 7 Billion, featuring Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, Moroccan youth leader Imane Khachani, co-founder of Foursquare Naveen Selvadurai, and Aljazeera host Riz Khan. The event will highlight how to leverage new media in our growing global population.

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