What I learned at Goalkeepers and UNGA79

Last week, I traveled to New York to attend the Gates Foundation’s #Goalkeepers2030 event and UN General Assembly Week activities, which were packed with events highlighting the innovative work being done to make progress on the world’s biggest issues. Here’s what I took from the experience:??

I began my week by attending the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation 's #Goalkeepers2030 event, and meeting with world leaders, innovators, and champions for change, all of whom are committed to working toward the Global Goals. This year, the Foundation focused on highlighting innovations to ensure all children have the nutrition they need to thrive . Around the world, 2 in 3 children aren’t getting the nutrients they need, but with the right combination of advocacy, scientific innovation, and targeted global funding, we’re confident we can curb this phenomenon. We heard from leaders like Yasmine Belkaid , Chef Marcus Samuelsson , and Muhammad Ali Pate who are at the forefront of ensuring people are getting the nutrients they need to live and thrive. I also had the opportunity to meet with a group of advocates from Germany whose passion and sustained advocacy efforts urging the German government to protect development inspires me. They remind me that making progress toward our goals requires global cooperation.??

Later in the week, I had the opportunity to sit on a panel on climate change and global development organized by Global Citizen NOW alongside Laurence Tubiana , Gaston Browne , and Andrea Shalal . There, I asserted that we must reject the narrative that tackling climate change and global development are mutually exclusive. Instead, we can and must address both at once, ensuring that investments are reaching the most vulnerable, and most affected, populations. In doing so, we can help these communities adapt to the worsening impacts of climate change and build economic resilience.?

I also attended a meeting hosted by the Indian Mission to the United Nations, where I participated in a panel alongside Daniel Seymour , Udaibir Saran Das , and Aude Darnal . During the discussion, I highlighted how India’s success in driving innovation serves as a model for other countries looking to grow their economies and lift millions out of poverty. India’s pioneering digital public infrastructure (DPI), which enhances access to essential services like banking and credit, is a prime example of this transformative approach. By supporting equal and accessible #DPI, we can connect millions of people to the digital economy so they can build their own economic futures.???

Later, I had a chance to sit down with a group of women’s gender equality champions, including Sabrina Dhowre Elba, Mavis Owusu-Gyamfi , Dr Monique Nsanzabaganwa , Dr . Stellah Wairimu Bosire , Dr Jemimah Njuki , Rohini Pande , Marie Ba , and Seema Jalan , in a roundtable discussion about their work to achieve a more equal world. Each of these women is doing groundbreaking work to help women and girls reach their full potential and I was so inspired to learn from them.??

I continued to be inspired by amazing women leaders at Women Rise for All initiative, led by the Deputy UN Secretary General Amina J. Mohammed , which brought together women who are tackling the world’s biggest problems. At the luncheon, I sat down with former first lady of Namibia, Monica Geingos , who has been a tireless advocate for women and girls, raising awareness for HIV prevention and pushing for greater economic opportunity for women.?We also heard from Malala Yousafzai, whose powerful message about the importance of education reaffirmed in all of us there the commitment to advocating for equitable opportunities for women and girls everywhere.

I also sat down with the UN Summit of the Future for a panel discussion, “Moving from Silos to Communities: Future-Proofing Global Health,” that explored how the global community can effectively address current and future health challenges. The first part of future-proofing our health systems is ensuring that countries continue to get support from global health institutions like Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and The Global Fund , because health represents a pathway to resilience, peace, and progress. The COVID19 pandemic proved how vulnerable our global health system is to an unexpected crisis. By future-proofing our health systems, we can meet challenges head on and keep billions healthy.??

Lastly, for more than two decades, global health initiatives like Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance , The Global Fund , The Global Financing Facility (GFF) , and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative have shown that human ingenuity and global cooperation can drive unprecedented and extraordinary progress. These efforts have saved millions of lives, halved child mortality rates, and ensured that over 100 million women delivered their babies safely. I shared this appreciation of global health initiatives at The Global Fund’s event “Global Health and Climate Nexus.” Investing in these kinds of institutions is one of the most effective strategies for poverty reduction and strengthening global health, especially as climate change makes it more challenging to solve these issues. Making these key investments will not only keep people healthy, but allow us to make further progress on goals like nutrition, gender equity, climate adaptation, and economic progress.??

The past week has filled me with so much excitement and potential for what’s possible through continued conversations and discussions, but I also know that if we want to make real, meaningful progress towards the Global Goals, we need action. Investments directly to programs that support initiatives like more equitable vaccine distribution, women’s economic power, and more nutritious food systems are how we get there. I’m leaving New York hopeful about what’s next and I can’t wait until we can reunite next year to see the progress we’ve made.??