What are the greatest challenges to women's and young people's health and rights?

There are several enormous challenges that currently present themselves around the health and rights of women and girls. One of these challenges is unmistakably war, which often encompasses systematic violence and sexual assault against women and girls throughout the world. When the health and rights of women and girls are not valued, and their human dignity is degraded by war, their bodies are viewed as territory, turf, and spoils. In addition, in the aftermath of a war that has devastated a country or region where women did not originally share much power, and where violence has been particularly brutal against women and girls, their rights will most likely not be considered or accounted for during the time when a new government is forming. This is an outcome of war that can result in years of oppression of women's health and rights.

A second great challenge facing women and girls is the lack of commitment from world leaders to address the gaps in gender parity among men and women around issues of health and human rights. A significant example of governmental inaction and ineffectiveness on protecting and advancing the health and rights of the world's female population is the trafficking of women and girls. While law enforcement has tightened in some areas and public awareness has been raised during recent months, there is much more that remains to be done in order to prevent women and girls from being trafficked into the institution of human slavery.

What actions are you taking to make the world safer and healthier for women and young people?

In order to make the world safer and healthier for women and girls, I center my advocacy efforts around sexuality issues, with a special focus on women with disabilities, through volunteer, professional and academic efforts. We can determine how strong a society is by how it cares for some of its citizens who are most vulnerable to inequality. Many communities across the world do not collectively value the rights of people with disabilities. Often, women and girls with disabilities are even further marginalized around issues of health and rights than their non-disabled female counterparts.

As a Policy Analyst, I advocate for the empowerment of women with disabilities around issues of sexuality and reproductive health by supporting policies that will give all women access to sexuality education and health services. I focus on including women and girls with disabilities in the movement to promote gender equality around sexuality and health by contributing to discourse and research in these areas. In the fall, I will begin the Master of Public Health (MPH) program at Hunter College in New York City, where I will complete my degree and become a Community Health Educator. I plan to work with women, girls, and the disability community in order to open opportunities for individuals to learn about their bodies and sexuality in a safe space. In addition, I have recently developed a web log called "New Wave Grrrl," which is a health information and resource-sharing forum for women with a special focus on women with disabilities.

What are your dreams for yourself and for the world's youth?

My dreams include getting to a place as soon as possible where we can facilitate the realization of human rights for all people within their natural environments. These human rights include the right to food, peace, opportunities, shelter in a safe home, education in a safe neighborhood, school, necessary resources for enfranchisement, a healthy and engaged community, and a trusted circle of support for wellness. This outcome, through which every human being should have to travel no further than their own community to access education, health care, and other supports and services that meet their needs and sustain their desired quality of life for themselves and their families, is a dream of mine for all of the world's people.

My dreams for myself include having the moral imagination and courage to continue to work towards this vision of equality and freedom. Like many people, I dream of having a family and a nice place to live and work, and like most people, I would like to see others have the same opportunity to access these things, unfettered by background, origin, class, or conflict.

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