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Utah Valley University (UVU) students have been recognized by the United Nations Mountain Partnership in its 2024 annual report for their impactful advocacy on behalf of mountain women and families.
Utah Valley University (UVU) students have been recognized by the United Nations Mountain Partnership in its 2024 annual report for their impactful advocacy on behalf of mountain women and families.
The UVU student coalition, the Utah International Mountain Forum (UIMF), presented its work at the 68th session of the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women in New York on March 14, 2024.
The report highlights UIMF’s use of UVU’s student-engaged learning (SEL) model, which empowers both traditional and nontraditional students — including working adults — to contribute meaningfully to the global sustainable mountain development agenda. At the side event titled “Advocating for Mountain Women and Girls’ Education Through Student-Engaged Learning,” students emphasized that education focused on climate change and sustainability is essential for empowering mountain girls and women and creating lasting community solutions.
Janessa-Michelle Purcell, president of UIMF, said, “I am grateful for the Mountain Partnership’s recognition of our coalition’s efforts to raise awareness for women and girls in mountain and rural communities who are often overlooked locally and globally.”
The report also notes that on United Nations Day, Oct. 24, 2024, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs Michele J. Sison visited UVU and praised students’ ongoing advocacy following their 2023 visit to the U.N.
The United Nations Mountain Partnership, established in 2002, is a voluntary alliance of governments, intergovernmental organizations, universities, NGOs, and civil society groups dedicated to improving the lives of mountain people worldwide and protecting fragile mountain ecosystems. The partnership promotes sustainable mountain development through advocacy, knowledge sharing, and collaborative projects in areas like climate resilience, biodiversity conservation, and cultural preservation.
For more details, read the full 2024 Mountain Partnership annual report at https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/cd5890en.
