Historic Declaration Of Autonomy Released By White Ribbon Alliance Grassroots Global Movement For Women And Girls

MEDIA RELEASE

March 5th, 2024

Eleven leaders of a widely respected advocacy movement for women, girls and newborns, have signed the groundbreaking NAIROBI DECLARATION (see below), formally confirming their autonomy and achieving their long-held aim of localisation.

The DECLARATION is a milestone in the 25 year long history of the White Ribbon Alliance, marking the shift of power from an administrative team based in an office in Washington DC which is closing.

Taking that power into the future is a new collaborative leadership team co-chaired by Angela Nguku, WRA Kenya, and Aparajita Gogoi, WRA India, with National Leaders from Nigeria, Uganda, Malawi, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Indonesia, Nepal, Bangladesh and the UK.

Angela Nguku of WRA Kenya, which hosted the signing event on February 29 th 2024 said:

‘We in Africa and Asia are the people who know the challenges faced by our own communities – and how to fix them. We will leave no stone unturned to ensure that the voices of women and girls are heard by politicians and decision makers.’

‘We have seen too many girls and women die - deaths which could have been prevented. Yet maternal and newborn deaths are still a daily occurrence in many countries, robbing women of their lives, children of their mothers, husbands of their wives. Our task is to convince our political leaders to work with our communities to stop this happening. Together we can do it.’

Says Aparajita Gogoi: ‘As global Convenors of the White Ribbon Alliance, we will ensure the voices of women are listened to, and acted on. The White Ribbon Alliance – which has so far galvanised over 4 million women globally in the WHAT WOMEN WANT campaigns - shows just what our passion for justice, commitment and unity can do. Women’s rights are human rights; we will never give up on women, girls and newborns. After signing the Nairobi Declaration, we are galvanised to accelerate progress; reigniting the global membership of passionate advocates is the best possible way forward.

Contact: Katy Woods, katy@batida.works +447767862912