Written by Zori, ONE Youth Ambassador, Belgium Being a Youth Ambassador (YA) has really put things into perspective for me. In June, I was able to attend the European Development Days (EDDs), one of Europe’s largest development summits organised by the European Commission, in Brussels. ONE Youth Ambassadors at the 2019 EDDs. The European Development Days At the EDDs, ONE had an interactive stand staffed with enthusiastic Youth Ambassadors and activities like virtual reality glasses, a photo booth, quizzes and educational games. The...
The talented and ambitious from every corner of the globe were recently in Bonn, Germany, for the annual UN SDG Action Awards. The awards are a celebration of the campaigners who have been taking real action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The UN SDG Action Awards recognises individuals, civil society organisations, subnational governments, foundations, networks, and private sector leaders from across the globe with the most innovative, impactful and transformative initiatives that are building a global movement of...
This story was originally reported by Megan Rowling and edited by Laurie Goering for the Thomson Reuters Foundation. People are gaining access to electricity at a faster pace as governments ramp up efforts in India, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Kenya – but the prospects for many African countries remain gloomy, international agencies said on Wednesday. Globally, those living without electricity dropped to about 840 million in 2017 from 1 billion in 2016, said a report tracking progress towards a global goal on...
The Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation have announced their shortlist, and we’re paying close attention to five of the impressive nominees! Talented, ambitious and committed to technological excellence, we’re sure they’ll be making waves over the next year and beyond. Here’s a look at some of the stand-out individuals and inventions that made the shortlist: Muzalema Mwanza, Zambia Muzalema Mwanza’s creation of a Baby Delivery Kit is making waves. The kit includes the tools that expectant mothers in Zambia are often asked...
Millions of women around the world experience violence simply because of their gender. In Namibia, Southern Africa, one in three women in long-term relationships report physical or sexual violence at some point in their lives, at the hands of their partner. News reporting plays a big role in either fuelling or helping to prevent violence against women. So, ONE has joined forces with Namibia’s First Lady, Monica Geingos, to make the media part of the solution. Beyond belief Women and girls...
What is global health? It’s a big year for global health so ONE is going to be talking about it a lot. But before we jump into the nitty gritty statistics or the importance of getting funding for the world’s most innovative partnerships, let’s talk about what global health actually is! Global health is about improving people’s health worldwide, reducing inequality and, protecting societies from global threats, such as preventable diseases, that don’t stop at national borders. So why is it important? We...
On International Women’s Day, we released our fifth annual letter to world leaders. This year, over 40 activists from across the African continent contributed to the letter, urging world leaders to make genuine progress in the fight for gender equality. Their bold statement to world leaders has gained global support since its launch! Over 100 influential figures signed the open letter and are taking a stand for women everywhere. Thank you to everyone who is using their platform to stand up...
This IWD, we’re passing the mic to African activists who are doing incredible work for gender equality. Together, they’re standing by a bold demand to world leaders, urging them to make real progress. Get to know more about the fantastic co-signers backing this demand, including our spokeswomen! Spokeswomen: Melene Rossouw Melene became an Attorney in the High Court of South Africa in 2009. In 2017, she founded the Women Lead Movement to educate, empower, and inspire women. They lead social change in...
Why do certain books make it to our desks, libraries and book shops over others? On International Book Day, we take a look at the progress made by African publishers. More and more African authors are being praised and winning awards around the world, taking indigenous knowledge and original African thinking beyond the continent. So, why is African book publishing still underdeveloped? Unique challenges Publishing got off to a slow start. Colonial rulers passed laws to make sure they owned the rights...
108 years. That’s how long ago the first International Women’s Day took place. On March 19, 1911, over a million people worldwide rallied for equal rights. They demanded that women have the right to work, receive vocational training, hold public office, and vote. A lot has changed in 108 years, but we’ve still got a long way to go. Across the globe, women are still legally prevented from having the same economic opportunities as men. In some places, women are barred from...