Graca Machel Says Promises Are Not Enough

Susan notes: Thanks to TED for making TED Talks downloadable and embeddable, and for providing the biographical information that goes along with them.

Graça Machel is a renowned international advocate for women’s and children’s rights, and has been a social and political activist for decades.

She is President of the Foundation for Community Development which makes grants to civil society organizations to strengthen communities, facilitate social and economic justice, and assist in the reconstruction and development of post-war Mozambique.

Following Mozambique independence in 1975, Machel served as Minister for Education and Culture and was subsequently appointed as the expert in charge of producing the ground-breaking United Nations Report on the Impact of Armed Conflict on Children.

In 2007, along with Nelson Mandela and other members such as Desmond Tutu, Kofi Annan, and Jimmy Carter, Machel helped to found The Global Elders, a group of world leaders convened to contribute their wisdom, leadership and integrity to tackle some of the world's toughest problems.

Related links:
Graça Machel - AWR Role Models
Speak Up, Speak Out, Take The Stage: The World Needs More TED Women
AWR TED Talk Favourites