Mercy Global Action Emerging Leaders Fellows Present on Panel Highlighting the Five Fellowship Components

On March 18th, the Mercy Global Action Emerging Leaders Fellows (MELF) were due to present on a panel at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) entitled “Empowering Women as Changemakers Across the Globe”. Due to COVID-19, both the Commission on the Status of Women and the panel event were cancelled. This year’s Commission on the Status of Women had been planned to mark the 25th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference for Women with a priority theme of Beijing +25 “Realizing Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women and Girls”.

Twenty-five years ago the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action flagged twelve key areas where urgent action was needed to ensure gender equality and women’s empowerment across the globe. One of these areas was ‘Women in Power and Decision Making’. This indicator gave rise to the creation of the Mercy Global Action Emerging Leaders Fellowship. The MELF is building upon Mercy women’s leadership potential and influence in both the global and local arena; and provides access to global political forums in order that Mercy voices are heard and make meaningful contributions to Global Justice.

In lieu of an in-person event in New York to mark Beijing+25 during the CSW, Fellows presented their experiences as Mercy Global Action Emerging Leaders to UN-based colleagues of MGA last month via Zoom. Through the Implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the Mercy Global Action Emerging Leaders Fellowship builds upon the capacities of women and provides effective tools to empower them to be agents of change in their own Mercy communities and in the greater society through immersion programs, activism, mentorship, webinars, regional conferences and more. During the event, each Fellow explored one of these respective components. This event has been recorded and is available at the link below.

Congratulations to each of the MELF Fellows on their presentations. They are truly women of wisdom, compassion, creativity and critical thinking - women who will continue to grow and challenge unjust systems. It is evident they promote collaborative leadership, paving the way to compassionate and communal responses to current concerns of our world.

Thank you to Marietta Latonio for facilitating and moderating the panel event and Angela Reed rsm, Head of Mercy Global Action, for overseeing the Fellowship.

Watch the event (1:17:08)

Messages to: Colleen Swain - Leadership Development and Advocacy Associate, MIA-MGA

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