At the United Nations’ 68th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, Mandy Romero’s three-minute speech was a culmination of her advocacy work for Filipino girls and women. Beginning her journey at nine years old with Tulong Sa Kapwa Kapatid (2KK), Romero’s passion for education led her to become the education program head at 14, creating learning modules and curriculum. She also became involved with Save Our School Network, advocating for children’s rights to education.
Romero recognized the significance of her platform as a representative for the Philippine delegation, understanding the impact of the agreed conclusions on national policies and laws. Her speech amplified the voices of the women and girls she has worked with, emphasizing the need to center their voices and bring their experiences to the forefront.
Highlighting education as a key step towards zero poverty, Romero addressed the gender parity gap in education, particularly the remaining one-tenth of girls who are unable to receive an education. She emphasized the diverse challenges faced by these girls, including poverty, food insecurity, and time poverty, which often result from family and household responsibilities.
Romero also shed light on the challenges faced by indigenous communities, addressing the violence and harassment faced by indigenous students and the need to protect their right to peaceful education. She emphasized that access to education without quality is not true access and called for addressing inequities in the student’s life to ensure equitable education opportunities.
Romero stressed the importance of women and girls completing their education as a path to economic empowerment, citing data showing that young women with a college education are more likely to participate in the labor force. She highlighted the positive impact of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act in increasing enrollment rates, particularly among women.
Despite having only three minutes to address the assembly, Romero’s speech resonated deeply, amplifying the voices of the girls and women she has encountered and taking a step towards the progress they envision. Her message is clear: invest in girls, and it has the power to change the world.
