Middletown Girl Scout Among Group Joining UN Commission On Women

MIDDLETOWN, RI — This March, four girl scouts from Southeastern New England, including one from Middletown, will travel to the United Nations in New York City to participate as guest delegates at the 68th Commission on the Status on Women.

The Commission on the Status of Women was established in 1946 and is a global intergovernmental body dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. The commission promotes women’s rights, documents the reality of women’s lives throughout the world, and works to set global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of women.

After a national application process, Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England was selected to bring four scouts who exhibit a close relation and understanding of the commission's themes to the United Nations. After the application process and rounds of interviews, the following girl scouts were selected as delegates for the region:

• Olivia D’Ambra, Providence
• Lily James, Wrentham, Massachusetts
• Sonam Ngamdung, Middletown
• Amelia Riveire, Tiverton.

"GSSNE is thrilled to participate in this year's Commission on the Status of Women," GSSNE Chief Executive Dana Borellli-Murray said. "Our Girl Scouts are prepared to represent the voice of young people in dialogue with hundreds of delegates from around the world. As they focus on this year's theme — gender parity and pay — I know our Girl Scouts will show courage, confidence, and character as they make the world a better place. It is this type of real-life learning and adventure that sets Girl Scouts apart."

Middletown's Ngamdung is a Tibetan student at Middletown High School and the co-founder and president of Students for a Free Tibet MHS. She has a passion for human rights advocacy, particularly the rampant human rights abuse against Tibetans by the Chinese government.

Girl scout officials said Ngamdung is a strong believer of intersectionality between gender and ethnic issues, which pushed her to join the Girl Scouts CSW delegation. She hopes to use her unique perspective as a daughter of Tibetan immigrants to aid her role as a delegate. Her goal is to one day see a free Tibet.

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