Johannesburg – Miss South Africa, Shudufhadzo Musida, will on Thursday grace the international stage when she addresses the Generation Equality Forum (GEF).
The GEF is convened by United Nations (UN) Women and co-hosted by the governments of Mexico and France, in partnership with co-leaders from the Global South and Global North, Civil Society and, the private sector.
The forum is a global gathering to accelerate gender equality actions and mark the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
The event will also see the launch of the ‘Education Plus’ Joint Initiative (2021-2025).
Her speech is expected to touch on the importance of education for girls and young women. The Limpopo-born beauty queen will also discuss the need for mental health education.
Before winning Miss South Africa in October 2020, she was completing an Honors degree in International Relations at the University of Witwatersrand
Musida said she was honoured to have been asked to speak at this auspicious event.
“I feel very strongly about the need for education around issues of mental health, and especially the removal of the stigma attached to anything to do with mental illness,” she said.
She believes there is a need for the integration of mental health education into existing programs that target HIV prevention in communities and schools.
“An emphasis on mental health services may assist in the prevention and management of HIV. I call THE MIND the Powerhouse, the tool that can change lives and the narratives that exist in our society. For any change to come about in our societies, we need to empower the mind, because if we do not – we will live in a society that has low levels of self-awareness, inhibiting much-needed progress needed for our collective development,” she adds, explaining that this was particularly important now during the global pandemic that has affected everyone, but especially young people.
Miss South Africa will join an esteemed group of speakers including Tunisian diplomat, Aya Chebbi, former African Union Youth Envoy; Winnie Byanyima, UNAIDS Executive Director, Lesotho Prime Minister Moeketsi Majoro, and Gabon Prime Minister Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda.
Interestingly, Musida’s speech comes just weeks before her 25th birthday on the 18th of July, the same day as Nelson Mandela International Day.
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The Presidency last week said President Cyril Ramaphosa will lead South Africa’s participation at the virtual session of the GEF: Economic Justice and Rights Action Coalition to highlight the country’s commitment to gender equality.
South Africa will participate in the hybrid virtual session to discuss global commitments and actions to be taken by stakeholders to promote economic justice and rights for women.
The engagement will be moderated by Byanyima, and opened by Executive Director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo- Ngcuka. Other dignitaries joining the event will include Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sanchez; ILO Director-General, Guy Ryder and American Philanthropist Melinda Gates.
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