September 16, 2014
This post originally appeared on Women Deliver’s website here. Reposted with permission.
Nargis Shirazi, one of Women Deliver’s Young Leaders, Founder of the Wo-man Foundation, and It Takes Two Campaign Project Manager, has been nominated for the Waislitz Global Citizen Award in recognition of her work to empower girls and women in Uganda by advancing their sexual and reproductive health and rights.
The Global Poverty Project, in partnership with Alex Waislitz, presents the award to shine a spotlight on the outstanding individuals who are working to improve the lives of people around the world. Individuals are nominated based on four key areas: embodiment of global citizenship; proven impact with a substantial record of making lasting change and creating opportunities for the world’s poor; innovation that brings new thinking to overcoming the challenges of ending poverty; and the potential to improve their work. Nargis was nominated for this inaugural award alongside David Auerberch from Washington DC and Anoop Jain and Swapnil Chartuvedi, both from India.
As an activist, playwright, and poet, Nargis uses arts and entertainment to talk about taboo issues and advocate for safer sex practices. Her play on male involvement in family planning was staged at Uganda’s national theater. Currently, she is implementing the “Fully and Richly Empowered about Sexual Health” (FRESH) campaign to address the unmet need for youth-friendly services among young people living in slums and urban areas. Using a hotline and social media outlets, the project is educating Ugandan youth about sexual and reproductive health and rights. Through her activism and public speaking engagements, Nargis has shared the stage with the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, World Bank President Jim Yong Kim, and philanthropist Melinda Gates, among others.
The winner of the Waislitz award will be chosen online by the public, who can vote for the individual they believe is making the greatest impact. The deadline for voting is Friday, September 19th. Alongside winning $100,000 to continue their work, the winner will appear on stage alongside Jay Z, Carrie Underwood, Fun., and The Roots at the Global Citizen Festival on September 27th.
Vote for Nargis here!
©Crowd360 brought to you by
