At the Dubai World Expo 2020

Innovators bringing humanity closer to the Global Goals through women's empowerment

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Empowering women, who make up half of the world's population, is crucial to creating a more prosperous future for all, and how we address challenges such as women's health, education and childcare is a key focus of the Dubai World Expo 2020 addressed in Dubai Global Goals Week.

As part of the Expo Live Impact series, visitors to The Hub in the Expo Live Pavilion, known as The Good Place, will hear from a number of global innovators and change-makers whose innovative solutions to these issues are already positively impacting their communities and making great strides towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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A panel discussion on 'Innovating and Caring for Women's Health' (18 January, 16:00 GST) will address the cultural taboos around menstruation, which force many women and girls to miss out on school or meaningful work opportunities, preventing them from improving their lives and their families' lives and quality of life. Visitors will hear from spokespersons Be Girl Inc, a US-based social enterprise revolutionising menstrual hygiene with reusable products that take into account cultural practices and available resources, and India-based Saathi, which has developed 100% biodegradable and compostable sanitary pads made from banana fibre, an abundantly available agricultural by-product.

'Helping Women Thrive' (19 January, 16:00 GST) will highlight innovative solutions that enable women to thrive as workers and entrepreneurs. The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) will provide compelling information on the social, health and human rights sector, while Peru-based employment agency Nanas and Amas will show how its approach to connecting domestic workers with their families has not only strengthened the dignity and rights of these workers, but also promoted education.

The panel also features Bangladesh-based APON Wellbeing, whose innovative scheme for garment factory workers, the vast majority of whom are women, has improved access to health care and basic services. Meanwhile, Kidogo from Kenya will share how it is improving access to affordable, high-quality childcare centres for low-income communities in East Africa, enabling women to start their own childcare businesses and create safe spaces for children, while allowing other mothers to seek out more valuable services and employment opportunities.

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The public can tune in to the Expo Live Impact Series at https://virtualexpodubai.com/ where other exciting Global Goals Week events will also be available to stream.

From 15-22 January, Expo 2020 Global Goals Week, in partnership with the United Nations, serves as a platform for global and thought leaders from around the world to connect and work towards achieving the Global Goals at a critical time of uncertainty in the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Global Goals Week is the seventh of the 10 Thematic Weeks of the Expo 2020 People and Planet Programme, offering an exchange of inspiring new perspectives to address the greatest challenges and opportunities of our time.

Text, photos and video: Expo Dubai 2020. 
 

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