2020
Bonita Sharma
- Age: 32
- | She/her/hers
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Youth must be accepted as active partners in accelerating progress for achieving gender equality because we are the ones who hold the future of humanity and have the potential to be the most creative force to foster social change with our out of the box thinking.
- Bonita Sharma
Bio
Bonita Sharma is a Public Health and Nutrition Activist and the Co-founder and CEO of Social Changemakers and Innovators (SOCHAI). She was listed by the BBC in the 100 most influential women of the world in 2019. She is the winner of Goalkeeper Global Goals Progress Award 2020 given by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. She has been recognized by UNESCO as a Female Champion for educating women and girls in Nepal. She was also the winner of UNICEF Asia Pacific Youth Innovation Challenge 2016 for her idea of ‘Nutribeads’ a low-tech wearable bracelet that informs about child nutrition. . Her organization SOCHAI was chosen as the winner of One Young World – Lead 2030 Challenge in SDG 2 Zero Hunger category in 2019. She is the member of Provincial Nutrition and Food Security Steering Committee (NFSSC) of Bagmati Province, Government of Nepal. She is also the Co-founder of YoSHAN, a youth organization working on gender and SRHR. Bonita holds a Bachelor degree in Public Health and a Master degree in Food and Nutrition Specialization Program.
What ignited your pursuit for gender equality?
Growing up in a patriarchal society, I was able to understand the discrimination between males and females from a very young age. I had fallen into trap of the same patriarchal mindset, but as I got the exposure and opportunities to analyze the existing barriers and discrimination through education and training programs, everything changed for me. My fight against gender inequality began from my own home when I stopped living in isolation during menstruation.
Please share your biggest wins as an advocate for gender equality.
Through my youth organization, SOCHAI, we have conducted several community-based interventions to tackle menstrual taboos and empower young adolescents as changemakers and leaders. To date, almost 3,000 adolescent girls and boys have benefited from this program, and they are now advocating for menstrual health and hygiene in their own schools.
Outside of your gender equality advocacy work, what do you enjoy doing?
I am an avid animal lover, so I love spending time with my pets. I also like traveling and exploring the beauty of nature.
Languages Spoken:
- Nepali (Advanced/Native)
- English (Intermediate)
- Hindi (Elementary)
- English (Intermediate)
Publications:
Speaks On:
- nutrition during the first 1000 days
- youth engagement in social innovation for health
- safe abortion through a gender lens
