Oby Ezekwesili to co-chair Reykjavik global forum for women leaders

The Women Political Leaders (WPL) has invited Obiageli Ezekwesili, a former minister of education, to co-chair this year’s Reykjavik global forum for women leaders.

The invitation to Ezekwesili was contained in a letter signed by Silvana Kach-Mehrin, president of the WPL Global Forum and Hanna Kristjansdottir, chair of Reykjavick Global Forum.

The forum is scheduled to take place on November 11, 2020.

Reykjavik Global Forum-Women Leaders, launched in November 2018, provides women in leadership positions across the globe from various sectors to connect, confer and exchange best practices and solutions on how to sustainably advance the global society.

According to the WPL, the forum is aimed at ensuring that women make a significant difference in bringing about sustainable development.

“2020 is a particularly important year for women’s leadership and equality with several historic milestones to commemorate,” the letter addressed to Ezekwesili read.

“Yet, many important opportunities to advance progress have been cancelled or postponed. As a result, big global moments for women risk being lost while the need for inclusive, representative leadership has been put into focus.

“In this new global context, the Reykjavik Global Forum-Women Leaders 2020 will ensure that women leaders across sectors can convene, take stock of the new reality created by COVID-19, and share solutions to build back better. In collaboration with UN Women and others, we are also expanding the Forum to incorporate broader partnerships and areas of focus.”

WPL explained that Ezekwesili was chosen as co-chair based on her advocacy programmes and career achievements.

“A fervent advocate against extremist, corruption and gender- based violence and a committed champion for issues of gender priority and the preservation of the rights of women and girls, your dedication to these important courses is exemplified in all your endeavours,” the group stated.

“As an economic expert, with a distinguished career within the private sector and the public sector in Nigeria and internationally, you have always used your position of influence to advocate for society’s most vulnerable.

“At the Reykjavik Global Forum, leaders like yourself are called upon to ‘Power Together’ and impart knowledge and solutions to benefit our global society.”