Michelle Obama tours ‘Education City’ in Qatar

Gen. Darren James, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing commander.

“When girls are young, they’re often seen simply as children, but when they hit adolescence and they start to develop into women and are suddenly subject to all of their societies’ biases about women, that’s precisely when they begin to fall behind in their educations”, she said. “I understand you’re distributing record amounts of fuel to enable those planes to fly …”

Installations like Al Udeid Air Base are absolutely critical for USA national security, Obama told the audience. I understand you’re distributing record amounts of fuel to enable those planes to fly …

“I got the message that I shouldn’t take up too much space in this world”, she said. “It’s no joke to be here doing what you do”.

Sheikha Moza first spoke in Arabic before switching to English, “to make sure we are all tuned into the same wavelength”, she told the delegates, who rewarded her with applause.

The First Lady wrote about the “broader cultural beliefs and practices” that perpetuate the crisis, but closed her essay with hope.

“Not everybody knows that”.

In her Qatar speech, Obama said cultural shifts can happen – as they have in the United States – and when they do, create a powerful ripple effect that can lead to even more cultural and political progress for women.

“I don’t think it’s an accident that we’ve reached gender parity in primary but not secondary education”, she said.

Among the goals of WISE is to draw attention to urgent problems, such as: one in five workers will lack basic education by 2030 if trends hold; conflicts in the Mideast are depriving more than 13 million children of education; and young people in North America and Western Europe are 12 times more likely than those in sub-Saharan Africa to have a chance at higher education. After spending two decades working for education in Afghanistan, she is referred to as the country’s “mother of education”.

Once they’ve earned a college degree, she said, women need help joining the workforce “because that’s how we’ll persuade parents that education is a better investment than forcing their daughters into early marriage or forcing them into household labor”. It would be inappropriate for a first lady to even think about something like that.

“We are not only paralyzed but going backwards at the speed of light”, Moza said, referring to the estimated three million children out of school in Iraq, Syria, and other countries torn by strife.

The first lady thanked the service members for their outstanding service, positive attitudes and humor. I’m excited to meet these girls – and I’m excited to share their stories with all of you. “You’ve really lifted my spirits, as always”.