Katie Couric and Internationally-Recognized Leaders Promote Access to Quality Education for Adolescent Girls
Of the 130 million out-of-school youth, 2/3 are girls.*
TROY, N.Y., Sept. 27, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Over 100 global leaders joined Katie Couric (American journalist and author) and other distinguished guests at the AUDACIA forum on girls' education, held September 26-27 in New York. They shared over ten best practices focused on improving the quality of girls' education and discussed ways to implement them.
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"The importance of access to a quality education for girls is misunderstood. First, in the U.S. and other industrialized nations, girls and boys are entitled to an education; whereas, in many parts of the world, girls do not have this right. Secondly, the benefits of education for girls are not understood. Countries with educated girls have lower poverty rates, armed violence, pandemic diseases, and infant/maternal mortality," said Dr. Donna Blackwell, Executive Director, AUDACIA. "The organizations represented at this conference are committed to addressing this issue."
An Emma Willard School initiative, AUDACIA garners resources for programs and practices to eradicate the barriers (e.g., poverty, violence) preventing girls from receiving a quality education.
"In an era in which women and men must be well-educated and principled leaders, AUDACIA is the next step in honoring Emma Willard's legacy," said Trudy E. Hall, Head of Emma Willard School. "AUDACIA enhances what Emma has done since 1814 – empower girls."
"I'm proud to be a part of this effort. Coming from a family that deeply values education, I understand the power it can have on one's life," said Couric. "The organizations here today demonstrate how impactful we can be when working together."
There were 36 internationally-recognized speakers, such as Anne van Zyl (Head of Academy, Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls); Anika Rahman (President and CEO, Ms. Foundation for Women); Trudy E. Hall (Head of School, Emma Willard School); Abigail Disney (President, Fork Films and Co-President, Daphne Foundation); Holly Gordon (Executive Director, 10x10); Meera Gandhi (Founder, The Giving Back Foundation); Gina Reiss-Wilchins (Director, Girl Up, UN Foundation); Carol Jenkins (Emmy award-winning TV Producer and Women's Media Center Founding President); Sara Bowers Posada (Girls' Education Program Manager, Nike Foundation); Elizabeth Colton (Founding President, International Museum of Women and AUDACIA Advisory Council member); Jensine Larsen (Founder, World Pulse); and Kavita N. Ramdas (Executive Director, Ripples to Waves at Stanford University and AUDACIA Advisory Council member).
About Emma Willard and AUDACIA
CONTACT: N. Webb, +1-201-214-0968, [email protected]
SOURCE AUDACIA
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