Global Health Institute

On Tuesday, February 26th, 2019, Dr. Daniela Ligiero spoke at Georgetown to an undergraduate seminar course, Conversations in Global Health. The conversation we had with Dr. Ligiero was engaging and personal. The CEO and Executive Director of Together for Girls, a global public-private organization that believes ending violence against children is fundamental to global health and inequality, Dr. Ligiero touched on quite a few difficult topics of discussion. Yet, the conversation was bright and inspirational. Dr. Ligiero’s focus is clearly on a hopeful future for non-violence, rooted in solutions to address these pressing global health issues.

Growing up in Haiti, childhood violence was a common sight, particularly due to the restavèk (meaning “stay with”) system in which children from poor families are sent to live with strangers for a chance at opportunities not afforded by rural life. The unfortunate reality is that for most of these restavèk, little attention is given to their studies; rather, they are used for menial and household labor, and they are often physically, emotionally, and sexually abused. Dr. Daniela Ligiero’s talk and professional background reminded me of the realities of 61% of girls and 57% of boys living in Haiti, and the many more around the world, who face physical as well as other manifestations of violence.