It was a busy week for actress, filmmaker and UNFPA Ambassador Stephanie Linus as she joined other world leaders, policy makers and key stakeholders for strategic meetings at the just concluded 72nd United Nations General Assembly in New York, United States.
The high profile event which was graced by world leaders including United States President Donald Trump and Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari was the main deliberative, policymaking and representative organ of the United Nations comprising of 193 Member States.
In her capacity as the UNFPA Ambassador for Maternal Health in West and Central Africa, Linus reaffirmed her commitment to ending Fistula by mobilizing the support and commitment needed to rid the world of Fistula once and for all.
The actress also recorded another milestone as her advocacy movie on fistula awareness, DRY, was screened at one of the events in an audience comprising of several African leaders, first ladies, health experts and policy makers.
Here are some photos and details of her participation:
Day 1
High profile meeting on Rebuilding Shattered Lives and Communities for Girls and Women together with the Government of Denmark. In attendance was the Crown Princess of Denmark, Mary Elizabeth; the President of Senegal, Macky Sall; the UNFPA Representative of Nigeria country office, Ms. Diene Keita; healthcare philanthropist and Founder-President of Wellbeing Foundation Africa, Toyin Saraki among other dignitaries.
Day 2
Screening of DRY followed by a panel discussion with the theme: Securing Health, Hope & Dignity for all to achieve the SDGs: Ending Obstetric Fistula within a Generation. In attendance was the Managing Director of Miniso Nigeria Mr Chris Lee amongst others.
Day 3
A high-level dialogue on how to use Africa’s youthful population as the engine of socio-economic transformation organized together with the Nigerian Permanent mission to the UN with the theme: Harnessing Africa’s Demographic Dividend for Economic Growth. This meeting was a Global Partnership towards harnessing Demographic Dividend in Africa together with First Ladies of African Countries. In attendance was the First Lady of Ghana, Rebecca Akufo-Addo; the Acting Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Dr. Natalia Kanem among other dignitaries.
Day 4
Supporting high-level advocacy on Lake Chad Basin Humanitarian Initiative organized together with First Ladies of Nigeria and Niger. The event was attended by some African First Ladies and their representatives.