Azernews.Az

First Lady Emine Erdoğan sent a video message to the program “Building Resilience in Women and Girls Against Climate Change and Conflicts.”

Congratulating Fatima Maada Bio, the wife of Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio, for her strong leadership on behalf of women and children, Emine Erdoğan said: “Her work as President of the African First Ladies’ Development Organization, as well as the founder of the ‘Hands Off Our Girls’ initiative, is truly commendable.”

Erdoğan expressed her gratitude to Bio, with whom she collaborates in her capacity as Chair of the United Nations Zero Waste Advisory Board, for her extraordinary efforts in contributing to solutions for humanity’s common challenges. She also celebrated the seventh anniversary of the ‘Hands Off Our Girls’ initiative.

Referring to the campaign’s theme for this anniversary—“Enhancing the Resilience of Women and Girls Against Climate Change and Conflicts”—Emine Erdoğan emphasized that it shines a light on one of the most vital issues of our time. She stated:

“As you know, climate change is one of the most significant global challenges of our era, affecting all countries regardless of their level of development. Increasingly severe natural disasters, droughts, desertification, rising sea levels, and similar crises profoundly shake societies. In addition, over 120 ongoing conflicts worldwide exhaust humanity and unfortunately push it toward a breaking point. Sadly, the heaviest burden of these crises is borne by women and children. Tragically, in 2024 alone, 676 million women and children were forced to live their lives amid conflicts. In the last two years, the number of women who lost their lives in wars has doubled compared to previous years.”

She highlighted projections showing that, due to the impacts of climate change, 158 million women could fall into extreme poverty by 2050. “Millions of women and children struggle for survival, deprived of basic human rights such as the right to life, food security, access to clean water, and education. Their plight is the primary reason the world’s record of justice is so fractured. Let us remember that women are key actors in building a prosperous and just world. They are not merely recipients of aid in the face of humanitarian crises; on the contrary, they must actively participate in the solution process. When we look at stories of female entrepreneurship worldwide, we see that women emerge with ideas that serve humanity and drive it forward,” Erdoğan said.

Emine Erdoğan also pointed to research indicating that in countries where women’s representation in parliament is high, international environmental agreements are more likely to be ratified. She continued:

“Inclusion of women in mediation and peacebuilding processes increases the likelihood of ending violence by up to 24 percent. In countries where women enjoy higher social and political status, carbon emissions are 12 percent lower. Women make up half of the agricultural workforce, and when they have equal access to resources as men, they have the power to reduce global hunger by up to 17 percent. Many such examples highlight a very important reality: increasing the resilience of women and children in the face of global crises is only possible through women’s leadership.”

As the year draws to a close, Emine Erdoğan expressed hope that this call rising from Africa would serve as a catalyst for global solidarity that can change the lives of women and children everywhere. She wished that the new year would mark a beginning in which humanity achieves lasting peace and collectively builds a sustainable future.