U2’s Bono, African superstars in campaign to empower women

Irish rock star Bono, right, speaks during a press conference with Nollywood actress Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, center, and Nigeria artist D’banj in Lagos, Nigeria Friday, Aug. 28, 2015, African stars and rock star Bono say music can help push for the empowerment of women globally. Bono and the top African male musicians D’banj, Diamond and Banky W announced Friday that they will be included in a remix of the song “Strong Girl” – a rallying cry for women’s empowerment which features top African female talent. AP FILE PHOTO

LAGOS, Nigeria — African stars joined U2 frontman Bono on Friday in a campaign to use music to help empower women around the world.

Bono and top African male musicians D’banj, Diamond and Banky W announced that they will be included in a remix of the song “Strong Girl,” a rallying cry for women’s empowerment which features top African female talent.

Bono, whose ONE advocacy group is the creative force behind the campaign for women’s empowerment, said music can create awareness and help shift policies because politicians are driven by popular things.

“Politicians in the end have to be elected, and what is popular drives all of their decisions. It’s that simple. So if the subject is popular among the electorate, then it suddenly dawns on politicians that this is a subject they, too, feel strongly about,” Bono told reporters.

Sipho Moyo, Africa executive director of ONE, said the campaign hopes to create structural and policy changes globally that will ensure women are empowered. The ultimate goal is to eradicate extreme poverty in 2030, Moyo said.

Moyo said next month’s UN meeting that will set the world’s development agenda for the next 15 years should focus on boosting women’s access to health, economic empowerment and political participation.

That agenda addresses issues ranging from ending poverty “in all its forms everywhere” to ensuring quality education and affordable and reliable energy. It will be adopted at a summit just before the annual meeting of world leaders at the General Assembly in late September.