Ms. Marlene Murphy invited Lady Elizabeth Kelly to be the chief guest at the Expo 2020 Dubai – Philippines Pavilion. Lady Elizabeth Kelly is a Dubai-based businesswoman, founder of Lady Elizabeth Kelly & Co. and Ethos Global Solutions, President at Eureka Brussels in UAE, and also UN Peace Ambassador through Universal Peace Council. In her speech, she stated, “No matter what the obstacles are, be it anything to do with socio-cultural norms or whatever, women have always been strong if you decide and are determined to achieve your goals, and you will do it.” All you need to do is stay focused. She states that “success is like meditation it will require time, patience, and sacrifice”. She further added that–
“Know where you want to go,
Keep it in your heart and mind,
Believe in yourself
If you believe you will reach there.”
Lady Elizabeth Kelly says that, “Empowerment is a perplexing method that entails numerous facets such as increased recognition, enhanced dissemination of information, social, economic, and political resources, and amelioration of self-image.
Lady Elizabeth Kelly states that, “If more women are to be transformational leaders, they must have equal access to and attainment of educational qualifications. Women’s literacy is critical in improving family health, nutrition, and education, as well as empowering women to participate in societal decision-making.”
Governments should take steps to promote the proper development of girls’ and women’s potential through education, skill development, and the abolition of illiteracy for all girls and women without discrimination, with a focus on the abolition of poverty and ill health. Governments, in collaboration with civil society, should take the necessary steps to ensure universal access to appropriate, affordable, and high-quality health care for women throughout their lives, based on gender equality.
Lady Elizabeth Kelly emphasises that acquiescence in empowering any aspect of society can be viewed as a means of creating an environment in which one can make decisions and choices for social transformation, either individually or collectively. She claims that empowerment strengthens ability by acquiring knowledge, power, and experience, as it is a method of authorising an individual and allowing him to think and act more emphatically. In simpler terms, it aids in gaining control over one’s own life and destiny.
The need for empowering women was felt when society began to underestimate women and the position that was supposed to be given to them was, in fact, not given to them. The main reason for empowerment has a very fundamental reason behind it, which is the growing trend of underestimating women to the point of making them occupy a secondary position in society and failing to provide them with their basic rights.
Further she elaborates that, “Power dynamics that obstruct women’s pursuit of healthy and fulfilling lives exist at many levels of society, from the most personal to the most public. To effect change, policy and program actions must be taken to improve women’s access to secure livelihoods and economic resources, alleviate their extreme housework responsibilities, remove legal barriers to their participation in public life, and raise social awareness through effective education and mass communication programs.”
