Nigerian, Esther Ajari, a health and gender equality advocate, is among the 24 young women that will participate in the 10th annual G(irls)20 Summit in Osaka, Japan.
The G(irls)20 Summit, which is hosted ahead of the G20 Leaders’ Summit on June 28th, brings together young women from each of the G20 member states. Delegates represent countries across the globe, including the European and African Unions.
Ajari, a fifth-year medicine and surgery student of the University of Ibadan, is supported by Edelman’s Global Women’s Equality Network (GWEN) program to attend the summit.
Launched in 2009 at the Clinton Global Initiative, G(irls)20 places young women at the heart of economic decision-making process by advancing the idea that increasing female labour force participation will generate growth, stabilise communities and countries and lead to social innovation. The summit brings together future female leaders and they will have the opportunity to discuss the same topics as the G20 leaders.
As a registered charitable organisation based in Toronto, Canada, G(irls)20 has also been the driving force behind Bootcamp for Brains, Girls on Boards and Fathers Empowering Daughters. To date, 90 social impact initiatives have been launched in 27 countries.
By galvanising girls and women, G(irls)20 cultivates a new generation of female leaders through entrepreneurship, education and global experiences. The organisation provides skills building workshops (negotiations, communications, leadership, entrepreneurship financial preparedness, etc.), a global Summit, global mentorships and support for the creation of delegate-led social impact initiatives.
Commenting on her participation at the summit, Ajari, a 2018 Civic Leadership fellow of the President Obama’s Young African Leaders Initiative, said she is very excited to be part of the G(irls) 20 family and for being on the shortlist of global delegates attending this year’s summit.
“Being part of the G(irls) 20 family keeps me on my toes. It makes me strive to change the world in ways I never before thought possible, because I know even if I fall in this pursuit, I will always have a family supporting me through it all”, said Ajari
In 2015, Ajari won the Vice Chancellor’s prize for the best applicant to the University of Ibadan. Her education is being sponsored by the Wells Mountain Initiative, USA and the Western Union Foundation, USA. Ajari, who is the founder and director of the TriHealthon, has over four years of experience in community development and was a facilitator and panelist at the 2018 Dream Big Conference in Uganda.
Heather Barnabe, CEO of G(irls)20, notes: “When we give a young woman the opportunity to use her voice at a decision-making table, everyone wins. The delegates return to their countries with the confidence to step up as leaders to solve their community challenges. Our partners are equally impacted; from companies to government representatives, attendees at our summit will tell you they have gained a critical perspective by listening to these young women.”
At the end of the summit, all delegates will prepare a communique to be delivered to Ambassador Koji Tomita, Japan’s G20 Sherpa.
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