With more than 200 schoolgirls still held captive in Nigeria, Dr. Jill Biden chose an apt time to talk about women's education, empowerment, and government in Africa. On a trip last month to Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Sierra Leone, Dr. Biden visited parliaments, schools, and hospitals where victims of gender-based violence are treated, and hosted discussions on the issues holding women and girls back from reaching their full potential. "Everyone seems to be moving forward in the same direction—in a positive direction," Dr. Biden said.
The video above, released exclusively to us, shows the highlights from Dr. Biden's time in the countries, including a speech before the all-girls St. Joseph's Secondary School in Freetown, Sierra Leone. "Without an education, the entire medical team at the Panzi Hospital wouldn't be able to help the women and children of sexual and gender-based violence in the Congo," Dr. Biden said in the speech. "Without finishing engineering school, women entrepreneurs like one named Terez wouldn't be able to help provide safety for her community. And without teachers, all of you young students here today might not have the opportunity to realize your dreams and give back to your community and your country."
Catherine Russell, the U.S. ambassador at-large for global women's issues, and Rajiv Shah, director of the U.S. Agency for International Development, accompanied the Second Lady. "Dr. Biden is a role model to so many people, students and educators in particular," Shah says in the video. "As a teacher, she has a real opportunity to be an illustration of what's possible and help country leaders throughout Africa see the value of education and commit to investing in better schools, better teachers, and better learning outcomes for kids, girls in particular."
The trip came just weeks ahead of a three-day U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, which kicks off August 4 in Washington D.C. The first event of its kind, President Barack Obama will welcome leaders from across Africa to further U.S. trade and investment in the continent. One of the sessions, called "Investing in Women, Peace, and Prosperity," will recognize that women's leadership and participation at all levels, from government to the economy to civil society, helps advance a country's economic and democratic development, improve health and education outcomes, and increases safety and security. Discussions will focus on expanding economic opportunity for women, promoting civic and political leadership for women and girls, and increasing women's meaningful roles in conflict prevention, peace-building, and security decision-making.
Shah says the summit is a "historic moment" and "represents a pivot to seeing Africa as a place of opportunity, of growth, of respect for their leaders and their kids and their young people in particular."
Related:
These Rape Victims Get Four-Wheeled Retribution
"I Would Rather Die Than Stay With These People" (An Escaped Nigerian Schoolgirl)
-
I Researched Over 2,000 Beauty Gift Sets to Find 57 Options Worth Your MoneyHoliday shopping made easy.
-
Meet Mia Rodgers, the Witty Brit Making Waves on 'The Sex Lives of College Girls' Season 3Taylor is one of several new students on the Essex College campus this season.
-
King Charles Might Take Back Some of the "Treasures" From Brother Prince Andrew's Home in Ongoing Battle Over Royal LodgeOne author says there's a possibility the Royal Collection Trust could "start taking the paintings and some of the furniture away."
-
36 Ways Women Still Aren't Equal to MenIt's just one of the many ways women still aren't equal to men.
-
Education for Women and Girls Is Crucial for Climate JusticeIn an excerpt from her new book, 'A Bigger Picture,' Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate discusses the impact educated African women and girls can have on solving the climate crisis.
-
EMILY's List President Laphonza Butler Has Big Plans for the OrganizationUnder Butler's leadership, the largest resource for women in politics aims to expand Black political power and become more accessible for candidates across the nation.
-
Want to Fight for Abortion Rights in Texas? Raise Your Voice to State LegislatorsEmily Cain, executive director of EMILY's List and and former Minority Leader in Maine, says that to stop the assault on reproductive rights, we need to start demanding more from our state legislatures.
-
Your Abortion Questions, AnsweredHere, MC debunks common abortion myths you may be increasingly hearing since Texas' near-total abortion ban went into effect.
-
The Future of Afghan Women and Girls Depends on What We Do NextBetween the U.S. occupation and the Taliban, supporting resettlement for Afghan women and vulnerable individuals is long overdue.
-
How to Help Afghanistan Refugees and Those Who Need AidWith the situation rapidly evolving, organizations are desperate for help.
-
It’s Time to Give Domestic Workers the Protections They DeserveThe National Domestic Workers Bill of Rights, reintroduced today, would establish a new set of standards for the people who work in our homes and take a vital step towards racial and gender equity.
