YOURS in POWER
If you could say anything to yourself as a kid, what would you say? That’s the question behind ONE’s new documentary series, Yours in Power. Three activists working to create gender equality have written to themselves as young girls, offering advice and insights for the road ahead. Their inspiring words prove the power of a strong voice and an unwavering determination to create an equal world.
Any activist knows that changing the world can involve a lot of letters. Whether it be addressed to politicians, world leaders, or fellow advocates, there’s no doubt that words have immense power in sparking action. Now, these three powerful women are using that power to reflect on their own journeys as advocates and show that anyone, anywhere, can change the world.
Melene
The fight for gender equality requires action on multiple fronts. It happens in many places, from communities to courtrooms, pushed by citizens and politicians alike. But while many democracies already have constitutionally promised equality, the reality faced by women and girls says differently. When this happens, how do we hold governments accountable to the promise of equality? Melene Rossouw, a lawyer in South Africa, is fighting for gender equality through democratic power and advocacy. Rather than advocating the government to change laws or create new ones, she is teaching women and girls to advocate for the constitutional rights that they already have. Melene is one of three activists starring in our new documentary series, Yours in Power. In this series, she and two other activists have written letters to their younger selves. These letters offer encouragement, words of wisdom, and inspiration for the next generation of activists. From an ambitious young girl to a champion of human rights, Melene has come to understand that a constitutional guarantee of equality is only the first step. Individuals and communities need to be in charge of fulfilling those promises. Melene grew up in the Cape Flats of South Africa. Her home was a shack behind someone else’s house, where she saw the effects of poverty daily. The women in her family struggled to survive, which Melene now views as the inspiration that drives her fight for equality. Melene’s mother was also an activist. She worked to protect the women and children in their neighborhoods from abuse. Like her mother, Melene became a fighter for women’s rights, though she takes a different approach to that fight. In 2009, Melene became an Attorney in the High Court of South Africa, later working for South Africa’s president as Cabinet Committee Secretary for Justice and Crime Prevention. Though she had the opportunity to continue climbing in the South African government, she instead turned her focus to advocacy. Now, she’s empowering women and girls to fight for the rights promised under South Africa’s Constitution.
Joannie
The fights against gender inequality and preventable diseases are often considered two separate fights. But these two issues are closely connected, affecting each other in crucial ways. The goals of achieving gender equality and universal access to health services rely on each other. Dr. Joannie Marlene Bewa is a world-renowned doctor and activist from Benin. She is also a public health researcher at the University of South Florida College of Public Health, focused on adolescents and youth sexual and reproductive health, maternal health, family planning and HIV in Africa and the United States. She cares for patients in her community, while also empowering women and girls by advocating for their health. For her, the fight for equality and health are one and the same. Joannie is one of our three Yours in Power activists. In this series, these activists have written letters to their younger selves, unraveling their own journeys towards their advocacy while inspiring a new generation of activists along the way. Joannie is working for better health on the individual, community, and global levels. Her work with health has already seen huge successes — but her work isn’t over until the combined fights for gender equality and health are won. In particular, Joannie is improving access to reproductive health services and fighting against HIV/AIDS. HIV/AIDS and reproductive health aren’t only critical health issues, but also critical gender issues. Dr. Joannie Marlene Bewa grew up in Cotonou, Benin. Unlike many young girls in her community, Joannie’s parents taught her about equality and encouraged her to fight for her full potential. Joannie knew from a young age that she wanted to be a doctor. Her journey to becoming a doctor started with a health scare: At 9 years old, she suffered an asthma attack that was nearly fatal. “I just remember waking up and being so grateful for the young doctor who knew what drugs to give me and who made sure that I did not die. I knew very early on that I wanted to become a physician and help people.”
Wadi
We’re all familiar with the cliche: children are the future. But it’s repeated over and over for a reason: it is accurate and critical. The lives and experiences of youth today will be the basis of the future. If we want to create the best possible tomorrow, children need to experience the best possible today. Wadi Ben-Hirki is a youth activist and philanthropist in Nigeria focused on helping marginalized communities, particularly women and youths, access education and opportunities they are often denied. Wadi is the final of three activists featured in our Yours in Power series. All three have written letters to their younger selves filled with advice, encouragement, and wisdom. Their documentaries and work also serves as inspiration for the next generation of gender equality activists. Growing up in Northern Nigeria, Wadi witnessed many of the issues that can limit children’s futures. Now through the Wadi Ben-Hirki (WBH) Foundation, she’s combatting issues like access to education, child marriage, and extreme poverty to give all children an equal chance at thriving and reaching their potential. From youth to youth activist From an early age, Wadi knew that the world around her saw her as lesser because of her gender. She recalls hearing things as a young girl like “women should be seen, not heard” and women being referred to as “second class citizens.” She also knew at a young age that these issues did not affect her alone, and this wasn’t the only problem she was seeing. The effects of child poverty, lack of education, child marriage, and other youth-centered issues were all around her. As a youth herself, she decided to take action. At just 18 years old, she founded the Wadi Ben-Hirki Foundation. WBH aims to help marginalized communities, particularly youths and women, access the opportunities otherwise denied to them.
Source: one.org
