I am honoured to be Child Rights Decade Hero. I started Girl Child Network a decade ago in Zimbabwe and helped thousands of girls to reach their potential as women leaders. I did this work not for personal gain but to donate who I am to inspire more girls. Today I come to the world to say I am an empowered woman.I blog on what can help an African girl to be what I am today. There is a silent genocide of African girls because of harmful cultural practices.
Muzvare Betty Makoni
Wednesday, 11 June 2014
Angeline Joline gave me a chance for photo shoot but it came out blurred
For first thing first!!! Those of you not aware there is a Global Summit to end sexual violence let me tell you this is a must to attend.I was there and felt as if the world will be changed in seconds.Well it is Secretary William Hague who made a commitment he would support this issue.I was selected to be amongst 83 UK experts for Preventing Sexual Violence and am a gender based violence experts.Some friends wondered how I got to meet Angeline Joline - a celebrity everyone wants to meet.Well, as you are aware she is the woman of the moment and her role is UN Envoy on sexual violence.I have been to two high profile meetings where she spoke and truly a woman with passion is a woman of purpose.She speaks on sexual violence with passion.Excuse my overuse of the word passion but it is my way to hammer a point.
So today after Foreign Secretary William Hague addressed us the team of experts on his desire to see it strengthened and supported for future deployments he then reassured everyone the work ahead would be accomplished.Then when speeches were done with great ovation it was time to mingle and mix.Mind you I move around with my empowerment handbag.Of course in it is a good dosage of confidence.I saw many delegates jostling to meet Angeline Joline.Mind these are the best of UK experts and so high profile.I told myself that I would not jump the queue at all to shake the gracious hand of Angeline Joline.So after some 30 minutes came my time.I told myself I needed some good minutes and then I said to Angeline Joline thanks so much for going on the ground to be in solidarity with women. She has a natural gracious smile that speaks love and peace.She smiled but her eyes with tears.I told her that her passion had taken the campaign far.I tell you Angeline Joline is humility. She is down to earth.She looks very ordinary even though she has some unique sparkle. She stopped to greet me.She gave me time and even allowed a photo.As you are aware in such meetings you can't just take photos. But she actually took time to pose for the photo.The photo came out blurred four times.Oh oh the woman I asked to be camera person was in a hurry to get hers too.
Well even though Angeline Joline photo came blurred and half cut off but mind not her work of stopping rape during conflict.Today I met a woman who says it is time to act. Yes stopping sexual violence is a mission of us all. It needs to be accomplished urgently so that lives are restored and humanity heals and moves forward. I walked away with renewed energy to undertake my role as gender based violence expert ...After all am not expert to take photos and so I leave for next opportunity.
I also went to Tearfund reception.There were a number of survivors who gave testimonies.Very sad women had to go through all this. But there is hope because all survivors who spoke know strategies to heal, prevent and protect.But am heartbroken such would happen.
As I said if you missed the last two days better make sure 12 and 13 June you are there.Rape as a weapon of war must stop wars must stop too. Civilised people fight using knowledge and not guns.
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