HH Sheikha Moza joins global leaders in UN initiative Rise for All to fight COVID-19

Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, UN Sustainable Development Goals Advocate, Chairperson of Education Above All and Silatech,  joined prominent leaders today in a global advocacy effort, “Rise for All,” to support the UN Secretary-General’s call for solidarity and urgent action in response to the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19, and to save lives and protect livelihoods, urging leaders in all countries, across all sectors, to address the human crisis of the pandemic.

The group comprised of global female leaders from various sectors was convened by UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed to mobilize an extraordinary scale-up of international support and political commitment to “build back better” and ensure that people everywhere have access to essential services and social protection. This includes support for the UN COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund, an inter-agency mechanism designed to support low- and middle-income countries and people most exposed to the economic hardship and social disruption the pandemic has caused.

In her message, Her Highness said, “Before COVID-19, our world was already contending with other pandemics. They are called poverty, hunger, unemployment, illiteracy, war, conflict. COVID-19 is exacerbating these current predicaments exponentially. We cannot turn a blind eye from the long-term consequences that will likely imprint our children and youth.”

She continued: “If we do not intervene, the effects of this crisis will have disastrous educational and economic effects on our young people. We will be leading them down a dangerous path of hopelessness and possibly extremism.” Through online solutions, Education Above All and Silatech have worked to provide resources to affected children and youth globally to ensure the continuity of education and the accessibility of employment opportunities during this crisis.

Her Highness called on leaders to be proactive and think long-term. “Let’s not waste this moment in time to merely react to combat COVID 19… Instead of working from fear, we must take this opportunity to narrow the digital gap and bring innovative solutions to our children and youth,” she said

Speaking on the Rise for All campaign, the UN Deputy Secretary-General said, “Like no other time in recent history, women are on the frontlines of COVID-19 and bearing the brunt of this human crisis. It is time for us to rise as women leaders, taking action to conquer the pandemic and come out stronger so as to keep the world on track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.”

The first to join this cohort today are the President of Ethiopia, Sahle-Work Zewde, the Prime Minister of Norway and Sustainable Development Goals Advocate of the Secretary-General, Erna Solberg, Sustainable Development Goals Advocate of the Secretary-General Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, Co-Founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Melinda Gates, Sustainable Development Goals Advocate of the Secretary-General Dia Mirza, UN Women Goodwill Ambassador of Pakistan Muniba Mazari, along with the Executive Directors of UNICEF, Henrietta Fore, of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, and of UNFPA, Natalia Kanem.