Lilly Singh Instagram – Through history and as we are witnessing today, girls and women are hit worst by the impacts of conflict. These are indisputable facts.   
What’s happening in Gaza is tragic. And it will continue to negatively impact the progress of girls & women, with ripple effects felt worldwide. History has repeatedly shown us this truth. Gender equality is falling further out of reach.     Despite my ongoing efforts to learn, I won’t pretend to know the complex history of Palestine & Israel or everything that’s happening now, which is why I haven’t chimed in. You don’t learn anything with your mouth open. I promised myself I wouldn’t post about an issue unless I knew what I was talking about – not just a sweeping statement or surface-level response. I don’t intend on breaking that promise. Informed words are something I value.   
But I’ve been studying gender inequality for some time. I’m confident in sharing this particular information. I believe it is important to understand and view the impact of conflict through a gender lens. This is where my knowledge lies.    If you’ve been following me, you may be familiar with my posts on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The United Nations created 17 SDGs, which are essentially the world’s to-do list for peace & prosperity. Goal #5 is gender equality. The deadline to accomplish Goal #5 is 2030. We’re at the halfway mark but only 15% of the way to reaching the goal. I share this not to discourage us but to emphasize the need to collectively make decisions that help progress.   
For so many reasons outlined by people much more qualified than me, and including the health, safety and rights of girls and women, there needs to be a ceasefire. Hostages need to be returned. Innocent lives need to stop being lost. And governments who promised to be working on the SDGs need to start making choices that reflect that with an immediate de-escalation of violence and long-term solutions for long-term conflicts and inequities. Part of me feels naive in thinking my post makes any difference to tragedy measured in pain and lives lost. But if I seem naive while educating others on the plight of girls and women, then I can live with that.