Profile

Born in 1969 and originally trained as a dancer, Elsa Zylberstein is a celebrated actress living in Paris. She has appeared in more than thirty movies, including "Jefferson in Paris," winning critical praise for her roles in "Van Gogh," "Mina Tannenbaum," and "Metroland." With such extensive success, her loyal fans are many, and they are proud of her appointment as UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador. Her role as Ambassador was launched February 6, 2001, in the French Senate, the Palais du Luxembourg.

Elsa focuses on women and development in Africa, particularly the French-speaking regions of West and North Africa. By educating the French public on population issues, Elsa raises the awareness that increases international aid for population and development assistance.

In May 2001 Elsa participated in the Regional Forum for the Reduction of Maternal Mortality held in Bamako, the capital city of Mali. In a speech she delivered on the importance of local nongovernmental organizations dedicated to reproductive information and healthcare services, Ms Zylberstein said, "[Sexual and reproductive healthcare information] is best passed from person to person, face to face. This is why it is necessary to support local organizations that are most aware of the needs of the local population, on a daily basis."

During her African study tour, Ms. Zylberstein visited field projects lead by the AcDev association in Dakar, Senegal, the AMSOPT association in Bamako, Mali and the ASDAP association in the region of Fana. Preparing for her duties as a UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador, Ms. Zylberstein learned first-hand about the needs and value of local community health centers and micro-lending funds. She also took the opportunity to speak directly with traditional community and religious leaders about sensitive topics such as female genital cutting.

Priorities

Ms. Zylberstein's top priority is education for all women and girls. For this reason, she is working closely with French NGO and Face to Face Campaign Partner Equilibres & Populations (E&P) based in Paris. In addition to directly supporting developing world health, economic and educational projects, E&P informs its government about the importance of donor country financial support for greater access to healthcare and education for women in developing countries.