ENGLISH SPEECH | PRIYANKA CHOPRA: Full Power of Women (English Subtitles)

Summary

Actress and activist Priyanka Chopra Jonas shares her journey from childhood in India to her current advocacy for girls' education and women's rights. She highlights her experiences witnessing gender disparity and the pivotal moment that led her to establish the Priyanka Chopra Foundation for health and education and partner with UNICEF. Emphasizing the importance of education as a basic human right, she calls on fellow influencers to use their platforms to amplify the voices of the voiceless and ensure no generation is lost.

Takeaways

• 🎉 The speaker expresses gratitude and pride to be sharing the stage with incredible women being honored.
• 🎓 Equal opportunities were given to both the speaker and her brother in their upbringing, which is rare in many developing countries, including India.
• 👩‍⚕️ The speaker's parents, who were doctors in the Indian Army, instilled the values of giving back, making service to the less fortunate a way of life.
• 👩‍🔬 The speaker recalls helping her parents as an assistant pharmacist on visits to developing communities, which exposed her to the gender disparities early on.
• 👧 The speaker highlights gender inequality, such as girls being pulled out of school at puberty for marriage, while boys continued their education.
• 💪 A key turning point in her life was when a producer-director told her that girls are replaceable in the entertainment industry, motivating her to become irreplaceable.
• 📚 An encounter with her housekeeper’s daughter, who was denied education in favor of her brothers, deeply moved her and led her to fund the girl's schooling.
• 🏫 The speaker is passionate about girls' education, emphasizing that it is a basic human right and crucial for personal, community, and economic growth.
• 🌍 She has partnered with UNICEF and witnessed their impactful work for children globally, especially those affected by child marriage, war, and sexual violence.
• 🔥 The speaker encourages everyone, especially influencers, to use their platforms to advocate for the voiceless and ensure no generation is lost.

Q & A

Who is the speaker addressing in the beginning of the script?

The speaker is addressing an audience, specifically a group of women being honored, including Octavia, Michelle, Kelly, Patty, and all fifty women mentioned in the impact report.

What is the speaker's background and how does it influence her perspective?

The speaker was born to parents who served as doctors in the Indian Army. This background influenced her perspective by instilling a sense of equality and the importance of giving back to the community, which she emphasizes as a privilege rather than a norm in many developing countries.

What was the speaker's first experience of gender disparity and how did it affect her?

The speaker's first experience of gender disparity was at a young age when she noticed girls being pulled out of school for marriage and denied basic human rights like healthcare, which was a stark contrast to the treatment of boys. This served as her first trigger to become aware of and eventually fight against such disparities.

What role did the speaker's parents play in her early exposure to social issues?

The speaker's parents, who were philanthropic, took her on visits to developing communities where they provided free medical care. This early exposure to social issues and the disparity between the genders shaped her early understanding and later actions.

How did the speaker's early job as an assistant pharmacist influence her future actions?

The speaker's role as an assistant pharmacist at a young age, where she was responsible for counting and distributing medicines, instilled in her a sense of responsibility and seriousness towards her duties, which later translated into her commitment to social causes.

What was a pivotal moment in the speaker's career that made her decide to become irreplaceable?

A pivotal moment in the speaker's career was when a producer-director told her that she could be easily replaced because girls are replaceable in the entertainment business. This motivated her to make herself irreplaceable.

What led the speaker to create the Priyanka Chopra Foundation for health and education?

The speaker was moved to create the Priyanka Chopra Foundation for health and education after encountering her housekeeper's daughter who was pulled out of school due to financial constraints and societal norms that deemed her education a waste of money because she would eventually get married.

How does the speaker view the role of women in shaping the future?

The speaker views women, particularly girls, as having the power to change the world. She emphasizes that a girl's education is not just empowering for families but also for communities and economies, contributing to a better future for all.

What is the speaker's perspective on the importance of education for girls?

The speaker believes that education is a basic human right and a necessity, especially for girls. She points out that despite progress, girls are still more likely than boys never to set foot in a classroom, highlighting the ongoing need for advocacy and support for girls' education.

How does the speaker define the social responsibility of entertainers and influencers?

The speaker defines the social responsibility of entertainers and influencers as being a voice for the voiceless, using their platforms and voices to contribute to change and ensure that no generation is lost.

What is the speaker's message to the audience at the end of the script?

The speaker thanks the audience for encouraging her and others to keep fighting for the cause, emphasizing the importance of continuing the fight for gender equality and education.