Over 50 students, parents and teachers attended an intimate Q&A session featuring Dana Shell Smith, US Ambassador to Qatar, as the guest speaker on a discussion about female empowerment and why it is an important subject in today’s society. The event was organised by Girl Up Qatarran by students at the American School of Doha. Girl Up is an innovative campaign of the United Nations Foundation that gives girls and boys the opportunity to create global change and empower the world’s hardest to reach girl in developing countries.
Dana Shell Smith made some time to speak to the students and answer additional questions after the session was over. When asked why she accepted to participate in this event the ambassador said,”I love what (Girl Up) is doing. I love the idea and that these girls took the initiative and I would never say no.” The ambassador remarked on the many challenging questions that she was asked but felt that those regarding stereotypes and how to make change were especially challenging. “I’ve thought a lot about how to make change in my own profession but I haven’t thought a lot about how to make change beyond my own world. We should all be thinking about how we can make the world a better world beyond our own part of it.” The ambassador gave four specific messages that she hoped the audience would take from her experience: Pay it forward, do something you love, help each other and don’t be afraid of reaching. “I hope they will take away that there is no one size fits all but that the goal should be for girls and for women to pursue their dreams, whatever they are, and to help each other reach their dreams,” said the ambassador.
A panel discussion proceeded the Q&A session a week later, which was organized by three ASD IB Diploma students. The panel included Ambassador Smith along with Clarissa Andersonwho works with the organisation youcanfree.us that helps fight against human trafficking, Huda Almansoori, President of the ASD Arab Mother’s Association, Dr Stacey Phillpots, a medical professional with interest in women’s health and education, Adithi Sanjay (ASD grade 10 student), Ashley Hammonds (ASD grade 9 student), and Charlotte Lombard (ASD grade 9 student).
These group of women discussed topics pertinent to the theme of “The Empowerment of Girls and Women in the Modern World,” including women in STEM jobs, women in power, women in the household, women in developing countries, and what empowerment meant to them. Event organizer and ASD grade 11 student, Isabella Asselstine, stated, “this was an important reminder that women and men must work together in order for us to reach empowerment.” The event raised 1600 QR. All proceeds will be donated to Girl Up Qatar
Girl Up Qatar Founder and President, ASD grade 11 student, Sarah Hesterman, said, “I hope that everyone who attended [both events] learned something new about female empowerment and why it’s beneficial to both boys and girls but also how they could be empowered themselves.”Through the work of clubs like Girl Up Qatar, these girls are given the chance to pursue an education, access health services, and become leaders in their community.
The Peninsula
