Gemma Chan and Zainab Salbi on the power of hope and resilience
With a storied career including roles in Humans, Crazy Rich Asians and Marvel’s Eternals, Gemma Chan is no stranger to being on screen. However, despite her successes and her packed schedule, the 42-year-old is still keen to do more for women in less privileged position than herself.
Having worked with UNICEF since 2015, and becoming an ambassador in 2021, Chan has spent time in Malawai observing women who are part of the Green Girls Initiative – a nationwide program to support girls who are from communities which are very vulnerable to climate change.
With the rapidly changing geopolitical climate society finds itself in, there is ongoing fear and uncertainty on how cuts on humanitarian aid can disproportionately impact women – particularly those below the poverty line.
Speaking at Harper’s Bazaar’s International Women’s Day dinner last week, Chan told guests about her concerns, and why she plans to keep using her platform to do good.
“I see myself very much as an advocate, not an activist, but it's my role is to help shine a light on the work that people are doing, and using my platform and being able to do some good in that way,” she says.
In conversation with Bazaar commissioning editor Marie-Claire Chappet, Chan said that she was concerned about recent announcements, both in the UK and US, that foreign aid was to be cut.
“While I understand the context and everything that's going on, it shouldn't be the most vulnerable children and women and girls in the world bearing the brunt of these budget reductions,” she says. “We have made decades of progress in terms of education and health care and nutrition, but it's all a danger of being undone.”
“I’m backing UNICEF in urging the government to reconcile any decisions they made last week [in regards to foreign aid budget].”
She continues: “I have moments where I would say I'm probably more of a pessimist. I wake up daily wondering how we are in the timeline that we are in. But it’s other people [that give me hope]. It’s the young girls that I speak to, and it’s those moments of connection and laughter and knowing that actually, many people in the world are good people. They may not be the loudest ones. They may not be getting, the most coverage. But but really, there are many people doing amazing things.”
Chan was joined on stage by Zainab Salbi, who echoed the actress’ sentiments. The co-founder of Daughters for Earth, Salbi explained how her endeavours saw the charity raise $150 million in the 32 years since its inception, helping over half a million people from 70 war zones.
“I continue to feel now that if we don’t do anything about injustices, then we legitimise them. Growing up in Iraq, you feel the same about not doing anything about the injustices you see. That shame comes because you're afraid for your family and your safety. But I'm not going to live with that shame, not when I can do or something about it.”
Salbi also urged women to value their ‘soft power’, and how they keep normal day-to-day life going when life can feel especially bleak.
“Hope is the emotion that keeps people going in the heart of darkness,” she says, “Women work harder, we get paid less, we're not acknowledged. But we’re resilient. Never underestimate the power of that.”
UNICEF UK Ambassador Gemma Chan is supporting UNICEF UK’s call to the UK Government to support the world’s children and protect them from reductions in the aid budget. Join UNICEF UK’s campaign by writing to your MP to prioritise the world’s most vulnerable children - here.
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