LDS General Relief Society president asks for education doors to open for women and girls
Sister Jean B. Bingham, Relief Society general president, studies Gospel Literacy program materials with a group of women in Sierra Leone in June of 2019.
Relief Society General President Jean B. Bingham joins the fifth annual International Women-in-Diplomacy Day symposium on Monday, March 8, 2021. The virtual event was held on International Women's Day.
Relief Society General President Jean B. Bingham waves to participants of the fifth annual International Women-in-Diplomacy Day symposium. The event was held virtually on Monday, March 8, 2021.
President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints told women in the October Semiannual General Conference to be constantly preparing, and that includes their education.
As a part of International Women’s Day on Monday and March as Women’s Month, Sister Jean B. Bingham, the church’s Relief Society general president, noted that education is the key for the success of women and girls worldwide.
Bingham was the keynote speaker at the fifth annual International Women-in-Diplomacy Day symposium. The virtual meeting originating from Los Angeles was sponsored by the honorary consul of the Republic of Senegal.
“As one woman to another, I rejoice in our shared vision of helping to improve the lives of women no matter where we live,” Bingham told the international business leaders and diplomats who attended the event.
As president of the church’s women’s organization, Bingham represents more than 7.5 million Latter-day Saint women in 220 countries.
In her speech, Sister Bingham noted that although her faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ leads her to believe that “every single woman and girl on this Earth is a beloved daughter of God” and gives her “hope that circumstances that oppress so many can be overcome,” she “is not naïve” and recognizes that “one of the greatest impediments (to their) success and happiness is lack of education.”
The assembly, including panelists and participants tuning in from coast to coast, shared messages that focused on celebrating women’s resilience and discussions on how to empower women and girls through entrepreneurship and economic development.
Bingham said that “education lifts a person’s vision, broadens their horizons and strengthens their ability to be self-reliant.” She referenced a study by Citi Global Perspectives & Solutions in cooperation with Plan International that illustrates how educating women can provide their families and communities with long-lasting economic security.
“I know the power in a community that resolves to protect and then empower its most vulnerable and also most valuable resource — the next generation,” she said.
Bingham shared a video commemorating International Women’s Day during her address, which she also shared on social media.
Referring to the pandemic’s impact on women worldwide in the familial, personal and professional aspects of their lives, Bingham continued her remarks by sharing her admiration for women in the face of adversity.
“My head is bowed to you for all you are accomplishing in these difficult challenges,” Bingham said.
Bingham’s remarks also highlighted the church’s efforts to help women globally with additional education and talked about its Gospel Literacy program, an initiative that currently assists women in West African countries to obtain enough literacy skills to assist their own children with their schooling and helps the women become sufficiently educated to serve as teachers or leaders in their local congregations.
The women’s leader shared the experiences of women who used education to pave a path to success, including Martha Lusenie Kongoley, a woman from West Africa who dropped out of school before learning how to read or write because she could no longer afford school fees.
“As a young mother, she faced the stark reality that she needed to somehow earn money to purchase food for her children,” Bingham said. “By enrolling in the Gospel Literacy program, Martha gained the skills and confidence to start a small business.”
Bingham said in her virtual address, that Kongoley’s newly acquired education gave her a stable income and the ability to mentor teenage girls within her congregation.
As leaders, we are in a unique position to influence those who create the policies that will open the doors to education for women and girls. Bingham invited each one attending to help leverage the advantages they shared in order to create more opportunities for women around the world.
