The dynamic duo took to Twitter on Friday morning to talk about their new, shared enterprise to protect young girls’ health, safety and access to educational opportunities as they head back to school in the face of the COVID-19 global pandemic.
According to post that appeared on Melinda Gates’s Twitter account on August 7, the physical wellness of girls is valuable to any community as a whole.
“As we work to solve the challenges of #COVID19, we must make sure girls everywhere have a chance to learn, stay healthy and stay safe—not just for their sake, but for all of ours,” the billionaire philanthropist tweeted.
Michelle Obama also spoke out, proving that she has been up to all kinds of activism.
In her tweet, Obama emphasized the importance of continuing girls’ education as the world moves forward. “As the world determines how to continue educating students safely in the months ahead, we must make sure that adolescent girls are not left out,” wrote the former First Lady.
Two Women, One Article
Both Gates and Obama linked an article to their tweets. The opinions piece, published by CNN on Friday morning, was co-authored by the two women.
Throughout the article, the pair emphasizes their concerns for supporting young women as life continues in the midst of a lockdown. “We believe that government, philanthropic, and grassroots leaders around the world must prioritize adolescent girls in any pandemic response,” argued Gates and Obama.
The piece also explains that pandemics can have disastrous results for adolescent women. “During a crisis like this one, adolescent girls face a heightened threat of physical and sexual violence, early and forced marriage, and unintended pregnancy on top of sustained economic hardship,” the dynamic duo wrote.
Taking Action & Responsibility
As they highlight the significant risks that will be faced by young women in the coming months, Gates and Obama do not shy away from naming specific charity organizations that can help.
The pair name a number of groups related to the Girls Opportunity Alliance, including the Sacred Valley Project in Peru and Kakenya’s Dream in Kenya, among others.
At the end of the article, Gates and Obama also recommend donating to the Gates Foundation in order to support the group’s fight for global gender equality.