University of the West Indies presents Mrs Machel with prestigious Luminary Award
Graça Machel Founder Graça Machel was among six leaders honoured at the 12th annual University of the West Indies (UWI) Toronto Benefit Awards, which took place virtually on May 22, 2021. Hosted under the theme’ Meeting the Moment’, the 2021 UWI Toronto Benefit Awards celebrated the achievements of leaders who are serving humanity during these uncertain times. The 2021 honoree cohort included various local and international prestigious leaders, including two UWI graduates.
They were Dr Graça Machel, DBE (Luminary Award); Ms Naomi Campbell (Luminary Award); Mr Denham Jolly, OC (G. Raymond Chang Award); CAMH: The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Chancellor’s Award); Mrs Wendy Beckles, Ms Pamela Coke-Hamilton (UWI alumna) and Professor Kevin Fenton, MD PhD FFPH (UWI ) (Vice Chancellor’s Award).
They were recognised for their continued work throughout the pandemic to rally for social justice, equity, and inclusion while dealing with several key issues, including public health, mental health, long-term care, and women and children’s human rights. Ms Machel gave a pre-recorded powerful acceptance speech during the Saturday ceremony.
University of the West Indies presents Mrs Machel with prestigious Luminary Award .
Read her full remarks here:
University of West Indies – Graça Machel Thank You Remarks – May 7, 2021
Good morning, afternoon or evening to all! I extend my greetings to you from Mozambique, in the appropriate time zone where this momentous University of the West Indies Toronto Benefit Awards Ceremony finds you.
Allow me to express my deep appreciation to the University of the West Indies and Vice Chancellor Professor Sir Hilary Beckles for honoring my work with this year’s “Luminary Award”. I humbly accept this recognition on behalf of Africa’s women and children, and I am grateful you are giving them a place of prominence on this global stage.
This “Luminary Award” acknowledges decades of hard work by staff and partners of the Foundation for Community Development, the Zizile Institute in Mozambique and the Graça Machel Trust, three organizations which I have the pleasure to lead that focus on the wellbeing of women and children in Africa. I also must recognize the UN, civil society and governments, as well as engaged citizens around the world, whom I have had the honor of working in partnership with over the years to advocate for the rights of women and children globally. I am here today as a grateful representative of their tireless efforts as well.
The University of the West Indies continues to be a bright torch bearer in this season of incredible uncertainty. You are illuminating the importance of social justice amid our uncertain times and serving as a shining beacon of hope for people of Caribbean and the world.
It is my absolute honour be associated with a visionary institution such as University of the West Indies, as you are nurturing the next generation of global leaders with excellence, and investing in critical research which can mean the difference between prosperity and poverty, opportunity and hopelessness, towards societies of social justice for all members of our human family.
As our world struggles to find its footing from the devastating impacts of COVID, it is imperative that we do so together as one human family. We must leave no one behind in the race to claim victory over the pandemic—we all have to cross the vaccine finish line no matter in which corner of the globe we reside. Our economic recovery efforts should uplift the most marginalized, both in the global South and the global North. It is imperative that schools find creative ways to bridge the digital divide to ensure all children, wherever they are, receive quality education.
I urge University of the West Indies to continue leading the charge for inclusion and justice, and to marshal the academic talent, scientific research and resources within your reach to help us tackle these challenges and bring us closer to the more just and healthier world we seek.
Again, I thank the community of the University of the West Indies for the prestigious “Luminary Award”. This recognition emanating from the heart of the Caribbean has inspired me to continue in our efforts to create a more prosperous and equitable world for women and children—particularly the sons and daughters of Africa, no matter where in the world they call home.
I thank you.
The Trust supports and mobilises civil society networks on issues of ending child marriage, ending violence against children, ending female genital mutilation and promoting children’s rights, to carry out advocacy and action across Africa. Special focus is placed on Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia where child marriage continues to be a problem largely driven by poverty, gender inequality, harmful traditional practices, conflict, low levels of literacy, limited opportunities for girls and weak or non-existent protective and preventive legal frameworks.
Education is a fundamental right for all children, which is also a vehicle for social, economic and political transformation in communities, countries and the African continent at large. Recent studies indicate a lack of progress in some of the critical commitments aimed at improving education quality, access, retention and achievement, particularly for girls. In most African countries, girls may face barriers to learning, especially when they reach post-primary levels of education. By implementing multi-dimensional approaches to education which includes core education, personal development, life skills and economic competencies, the Trust partners with funding partners, governments, civil societies and the private sector to improve education access.
The Nutrition and Reproductive, Maternal, New-born, Child and Adolescent Health and Nutrition, (RMNCAH+N) of the Children’s Rights and Development Programme aims at promoting the Global Strategy for women, children and adolescents’ health within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) agenda. The strategy emphasises on the importance of effective country leadership as a common factor across countries making progress in improving the health of women, children and adolescents.
Through its Early Childhood Development (ECD) plan, The Trust will seek to put into action the new science and evidence Report that was presented by Lancet Series on Good and early development – the right of every child. This will be achieved by mobilising like-minded partners to contribute in the new science and evidence to reach all young children with ECD. The Trust’s goal is to be a catalyst for doing things differently, in particular, to rid fragmentation and lack of coordination across ECD sectors. In response to evidence showing the importance of political will in turning the tide against the current poor access and quality of ECD. Even before conception, starting with a mother’s health and social economic conditions, the early years of a child’s life form a fundamental foundation that determines whether a child will survive and thrive optimally.