Malawi hosts Michelle Obama, Melinda Gates and Amal Clooney
Former First Lady of the United States of America (USA), Michelle Obama, together with human rights lawyer Amal Clooney and global philanthropist Melinda French Gates have concluded their tour in Malawi to support girl-child empowerment.
The three women through their respective organisations – The Obama Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance; the Clooney Foundation’s Waging Justice for Women Programme; and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation - visited selected girls' schools to reach out and create awareness about the fight against early marriage, Nyasa Times reported.
“It is an honour to visit Malawi with Melinda French Gates and Amal Clooney and meet so many incredible women and girls who are working to end child marriage,” said Michelle Obama.
Melinda Gates on her part expressed a profound commitment to working to, amongst others, end child marriage.
“For the past five years, the Girls Opportunity Alliance has been working with leaders on the ground who are changing outcomes for girls in the country – including Ulanda Mtamba and her remarkable team at the AGE Africa program, who are making sure girls can delay early marriage and get the education they deserve…,” she is quoted by The Lead News.
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“Child marriage, like so many other issues, is a symptom of deeper problems such as poverty, a lack of education access, and gender inequality. But if more leaders invest in programs that empower women and girls, then we’ll make progress not only on ending child marriage but on so many other challenges as well,” she added.
Co-founder of the Clooney Foundation for Justice, Amal Clooney said, “It is a privilege to be working alongside so many inspirational Malawian women in the fight to make child marriage history.”
In October 2022, the three women on behalf of their respective organisations announced a collaboration to contribute to the elimination of child marriage and gender inequality and to empower young girls in Malawi to achieve their full potential.
