Shaikha Mozah opened the event by warning about the
educational challenges the Mideast faces amid wars and societal challenges.
US first lady Michelle Obama on Wednesday called on the
world to fund and promote societal change to support girls' education.
Speaking at the 2015 World Innovation Summit for Education
in Doha, Qatar, Obama said more needs to be done to ensure girls know their
bodies "are a source of pride, not pain or shame."
"Solving our girls' education is definitely about
resources, but it is also about attitudes and beliefs," she said.
"It's about whether parents think their daughters are as worthy of an
education as their sons. It's about whether our societies cling to outdated
laws and traditions that oppress and exclude women."
Obama's speech comes as part of her Let Girls Learn
initiative. The program encourages world leaders to provide education
opportunities to an estimated 62 million girls globally who do not attend
school.
Shaikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned, former Qatari ruler
Shaikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani's wife, opened Tuesday's event by warning
about the educational challenges the Mideast faces amid wars and societal
challenges.
"In this region, we are not only paralyzed, but going
backwards at the speed of light," she said.
Shaikha Mozah awarded the 2015 WISE Prize for Education to
Sakena Yacoobi, the founder and CEO of the Afghan Institute of Learning.
Yacoobi received a gold medal and $500,000.
Obama is on a two-nation visit to the Mideast this week. She
will travel to Jordan next.
No comments:
Post a Comment