Filipina youth champions education for women at United Nations

MANILA, Philippines — In her bid to break barriers in education experienced by women and girls in the Philippines, Mandy Romero, 23, wrote and delivered recently the country statement at the 68th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW).

Romero, who represented the youth of the Philippines at the UNCSW, spoke at the UN headquarters in New York with a clear message: “investing
 in quality education is one of the most transformative zero poverty strategies—to give a platform for diverse female voices.”

The yearly conference, attended by member states of the UN, discussed the most important plans and strategies to advance gender equality worldwide. At the CSW Agreed Conclusions, each country representative plot the directions that governments will adopt to discuss hindrances to gender inequality. Once these directions are adopted by the UNCSW, “the actions are taken back to each country and incorporated into national policies and programs.”

“One in four Filipino children, and one in five women live in poverty. These are not mere numbers. They are countless women and children, in their multitude of experiences, who dream of accessing their right to education,” Romero told the youth representatives at the two-week UNCSW assembly.

Romero took up Bachelor of Science in Health Care Management and Policy, and Justice and Peace Studies from Georgetown University, graduating magna cum laude with a near perfect GPA of 3.95.

With over a decade of advocacy experience, Romero is a dedicated community organizer for accessible, quality education for indigenous, rural and urban poor communities. She is currently the president of Capital1 Solar Energy, which builds and operates utility-scale solar power plants and battery energy storage systems.

“While the Philippines has proudly achieved gender parity and free access for primary and secondary education, barriers like family responsibilities, malnutrition, hazardous journeys prone to gender-based violence, and disabilities keep one in 10 girls out of basic education,” said Romero, daughter of 1Pacman Rep. Mikee Romero and Sheila Romero, chairman of Globalport Terminals.

In her three-minute speech,