School Nurse Speaks Out for Women

A school nurse from St Peter’s School, York, will be speaking at this year’s UN Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW) on Thursday 18 March.

Jessie Emms, a registered mental health nurse who works at St Peter’s, will attend the UNCSW with a team of young leaders from the charity The Girls’ Brigade International.

The Girls’ Brigade International is one of the oldest and largest faith-based mission movement working in over 50 countries around the world, and Jessie volunteers for the charity in her spare time. Jessie, aged 24, joined The Girls’ Brigade when she was just five years old and is now a leader for the charity and an Under 30s representative for The Girls’ Brigade England and Wales.

In March 2020, Jessie and a team of younger Girls’ Brigade leaders from across the Five Fellowships (Asia, Africa, England/Wales, Pacific and Caribbean/Americas) were due to travel to New York to represent the Girls’ Brigade International at the UN Commission on the Status of Women, the world’s largest global policy making forum on gender justice.

Unfortunately, last year’s commission was cancelled due to the pandemic, but Jessie and the team will be attending this year’s UN Commission on the Status of Women virtually on 18 March. They will deliver an interactive session called ‘She Speaks – Young Women on Faith, Social Justice and Transformational Acts’. Using spoken word, drama and film, the team will demonstrate how they are seeking to eradicate mental health stigma, improve girls’ access to education, and end violence against women and gender specific persecution.

By attending the UNCSW, The Girls’ Brigade will have the opportunity to contribute to and influence global policies affecting girls and women, and network with high-level individuals and organisations leading to collaborative partnerships.

Jessie said: “Engaging young women of faith is critical in ensuring the successful implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and achieving gender justice. We will be joined by an amazing panel of global experts on gender justice too. It is such a wonderful opportunity for me to be a part of and something I am very passionate about.”

Mr Jeremy Walker, Head Master of St Peter’s School, said: “Gender justice is one of the most important issues of our time and dialogue leading to action is crucial. I am so glad that Jessie’s voice will be heard alongside her fellow young leaders and to have a colleague at St Peter’s who is so committed to this field. ”

For more information visit https://www.stpetersyork.org.uk/