New York, March 14, 2022.
Minister Elena Bonetti inaugurated at the UN Headquarters the photo exhibition “Women and Girls in Sub-Saharan Africa. Transforming Education for a Sustainable Future.” Organized on the sidelines of the 66th edition of the CSW (Commission on the Status of Women), the major UN platform for women’s rights and gender equality, the exhibit features photos by Mohamed Keita, a young Ivorian photographer who has been in Italy with refugee status for over a decade.
The exhibit is co-organized by the Permanent Mission of Italy to the UN and the Universities Network for Children in Armed Conflict (launched in 2020 with the support of Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and that encompasses more than 50 universities and research centers located on four continents). The project is also supported by the St. Pius V Institute of Political Studies and L.A.W. International.
Italy’s Permanent Representative to the UN Amb. Maurizio Massari, Prof. Laura Guercio on behalf of the Universities Network, and Assistant Secretary General for Africa at the United Nations, Martha Pobee gave their remarks. The exhibit is connected to the side-event of the same name organized by Italy and scheduled for March 16 on the sidelines of the CSW with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Marina Sereni in attendance.
In Minister Bonetti’s words, “women in Africa can be ‘agents of change’ when the conditions are created for them to have access to basic education, but also to training that prepares them to deal with the adverse effects of climate change. They are the ones who suffer the most from climate change’s negative impact.”
According to the U.N., dwindling resources and drought are in fact linked to migration and displacement, the effects of which can have serious consequences for women and girls: increased gender-based violence and increased risk of early and forced marriages due to the negative impact of climate change on the economy.
“These photographs send a message of hope for African women and girls today, thus extending its relevance to women and girls around the world, from Ukraine to Afghanistan and to the many other theaters of crisis where they are struggling,” concluded Minister Bonetti.
