February 15, 2019

Imagining What We Can Do and Achieve With W-GDP

“The W-GDP can be just that vehicle to translate and forward powerful thoughts and dreams into action, and empower millions of women around the world,” says Humphrey alumna at the White House launch event.

Humphrey Fellows from American University met with President Donald Trump, Senior Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and Assistant Secretary of State Marie Royce at the White House for the launch of the new Women's Global Development and Prosperity Initiative (W-GDP). The initiative will provide innovative educational programs, financial and technical assistance, capacity building, and mentorship to support women’s economic participation around the world. The goal of W-GDP is to reach 50 million women in the developing world by 2025 through U.S. government activities, private-public partnerships, and a new USAID fund.

There Humphrey Fellows at the W-GDP event included: Coumba Ndiaye from Senegal, Darlene Pajarito from the Philippines, a fellow from Afghanistan, Lubna Nasser from Jordan, and Nino Elbakidze from Georgia. Regarding the initiative, Ms. Pajarito emphasized its significance: "Each one [person] is in a position to help others. If we put our thoughts and efforts together, just imagine what we can do and achieve. The W-GDP can be just that vehicle to translate and forward powerful thoughts and dreams into action, and empower millions of women around the world. As a Humphrey Fellow, I am fortunate and grateful to have witnessed the momentous launching of the W-GDP at the White House."

Prior to their Fellowships, Ms. Pajarito was the assistant city prosecutor at the Department of Justice and the executive director at the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking Secretariat; Ms. Ndiaye was a court clerk at the Senegal Court of Appeals; the Afghan fellow worked at an NGO that combats human trafficking at Hagar International; Ms. Nassar was the country representative at DIGNITY – Danish Institute against Torture; and, Ms. Elbakidze was a senior researcher with Human Rights Advocacy and Democracy Fund.