Wendy Lesko of School Girls Unite: education is not a privilege but a universal human right
by Milena Rampoldi, ProMosaik. In the following my interview with Wendy Lesko of the organisation School Girls Unite. Our common objective is an education-based feminism. Girls all over the world have one and the same education right because as Wendy told me education is not a privilege, but a universal human right, and to affirm it we have to start from girls’ education.
What are the main objectives of School Girls Unite?
The mission of this youth-driven
international program is to advocate for the rights of every girl in the world
to have equal educational opportunities. About 200 U.S. girls are active and
learn about the prejudice that girls still face, engage in philanthropy by
organizing fundraising for our Mali Girls Scholarship Program, and also ask
government decision makers to make education for girls a top U.S. foreign
assistance priority. We communicate weekly with our sister organization in Mali
who serve as role models and mentors to the girls in rural villages who receive
help with school fees, books, supplies and tutors.
international program is to advocate for the rights of every girl in the world
to have equal educational opportunities. About 200 U.S. girls are active and
learn about the prejudice that girls still face, engage in philanthropy by
organizing fundraising for our Mali Girls Scholarship Program, and also ask
government decision makers to make education for girls a top U.S. foreign
assistance priority. We communicate weekly with our sister organization in Mali
who serve as role models and mentors to the girls in rural villages who receive
help with school fees, books, supplies and tutors.
Why is education of girl the key to a better world?
As many who are more
articulate state in essence: If all girls have access to education in a safe
learning environment that encourages critical thinking, then half of the
world’s population will have the opportunity to participate and play an equal
role especially in shaping a safer, smarter, healthier and more just and
peaceful world.
articulate state in essence: If all girls have access to education in a safe
learning environment that encourages critical thinking, then half of the
world’s population will have the opportunity to participate and play an equal
role especially in shaping a safer, smarter, healthier and more just and
peaceful world.
For ProMosaik education is the basis human rights from which all the others
derive. What do you think about it?
derive. What do you think about it?
Exactly – education is not a privilege but
a universal human right.
a universal human right.
In the developing world women and girls are the real victims. Why? And in which
sense?
sense?
Many levels of discrimination perpetuate the second class status of
girls and women. The epidemic of early or forced marriage is one example of
cultural and economic conditions that vilify females.
girls and women. The epidemic of early or forced marriage is one example of
cultural and economic conditions that vilify females.
Tell us about the Activist Gameplan.
This free toolkit was created by half adozen School Girls Unite students designed to educate and inspire other
students to learn and get engaged in advocating for equal educational
opportunities for every girl in the world. Also, the bilingual action guide
written by U.S. students and our Mali sister organization; “Girls
Gone Activist! How to Change the World through Education” has been
downloaded by people in over 40 countries. It is a free download from www.schoolgirlsunite.org
What have you achieved until now and what is your dream for the future?
This
volunteer-run youth-led initiative has continued for 12 years and many of the
original co-founders remain active. Our two-prong approach is student-driven
philanthropy through our Mali Girls Scholarship Program and student-driven
policy advocacy both with the U.S. Congress and Mali Ministry of Education to
make education for girls a top priority. In the future, through the Youth
Activism Project, which serves as the parent NGO, we are considering ways to
adapt the unique School Girls Unite’s model. One concept is to develop a
platform to encourage other youths around the world to pursue lasting community
change through multi-faceted activism as well as multilateral
collaboration.
volunteer-run youth-led initiative has continued for 12 years and many of the
original co-founders remain active. Our two-prong approach is student-driven
philanthropy through our Mali Girls Scholarship Program and student-driven
policy advocacy both with the U.S. Congress and Mali Ministry of Education to
make education for girls a top priority. In the future, through the Youth
Activism Project, which serves as the parent NGO, we are considering ways to
adapt the unique School Girls Unite’s model. One concept is to develop a
platform to encourage other youths around the world to pursue lasting community
change through multi-faceted activism as well as multilateral
collaboration.
