Graça Machel Quotes

Africa’s socio-economic transformation will only be realized once we aggressively address gender-specific challenges, prioritize gender equality and women’s participation, and firmly entrench women in leadership positions at all levels in society.

A pandemic within a pandemic has been exposed and we are confronted with the horrific reality that millions of women and children — in every country — are fighting for their survival, not just from COVID-19 but from the brutalities of abusers in the prisons of their homes.

We are a society where women, and children by the way, are not safe anywhere. Something absolutely and deeply wrong is happening in our society.

What they have taught me and what I take from their lives is this real ability to go beyond yourself and to dedicate your life to the common good, to create spaces and opportunities for freedom for all.

The developed world needs to feel that these huge levels of poverty (are) a threat to their own security. When their interests are at risk, money can be found.

Culture for me is when you sing or dance, when you have theatre, when you read a book, a beautiful poem. It doesn't matter whether it's Shakespeare who wrote it or whether it is an African poet – it is communicating with all of us, regardless of who you are, your colour, your social structure.

The role tradition has played in the relationship in the family between men and women has been detrimental to women.

Women are not children; they are adults that know what they want to do. They should be recognised with their dignity and to start a business whenever they feel like it.

When you educate a girl, you educate a nation.

Tradition has developed a hierarchy in relationship between men and women that leads to discrimination.

We must reinvent our relationships and re-engineer the way we relate in our families, in our schools, in our workplaces with the spirit of ubuntu that Archbishop Tutu taught us and exudes with every fibre of his being.

People say I am powerful but I care more about impactful – in the work I do with children, adolescents, women or even institutions. Those who observe can say, ‘you are powerful,’ but it doesn’t come from me to say I am powerful.

It is not just fear of a husband that makes a woman bow to these traditions. They are ingrained in her from her upbringing, the women learn to accept as if it's normal.

Education, particularly for girls, is a catalyst for reducing child and maternal deaths and lifting people out of poverty.

We are proving that we can come together as a united human family to holistically tackle COVID-19, let us apply an equally comprehensive, vigorous, and unrelenting focus to eradicating gender-based violence as well.