The Power Of Education – Empowering Women

The world is working on the challenge of inequality between men and women. History, culture, politics, and individuals led to giving men more power than women. In many parts of the world women still have less worth and rights than men. Various campaigns, rules, and organizations fight for their rights. It does not only concern the girls and women to achieve equity, it should also be in the interest of boys and men. The goals are to educate people, make victims aware, and empower them. One very strong tool of empowerment is education. Other ways are based on political, economic, psychological, and especially social fundaments. With a special focus on education, we want to show ways of empowerment through girl’s education, scholarships, higher education opportunities, and awareness programs for relatives and friends.

Scholarships

Scholarships are a financial way to support a girl or young woman to get basic and higher education. A big problem for many families is the lack of funding. They can´t afford to send their child to school. As a result, many girls get married very young, and boys are more likely to get higher education because they are (stereotypically) supposed to feed the family. Other effects of poverty are that children are forced to work at a very young age because the family does not have enough money for their daily life. 

Dangerous journeys to school, violence at schools, or not enough female teachers make many families hesitate to send their daughters to school.

Scholarships allow girls to participate in good schools and gives them furthermore the opportunity for higher education. Nancy Etz is a very good example to empower girls by financially supporting them to pursue a good education. Having the funds ensures many opportunities for girls and young women to achieve their dreams. 

Girls education

Empowerment of women should start in a very early state. Making girls aware of their rights, opportunities, and power helps them to change the perception in society to create a better and equal world every day. In school routines, girls can be empowered in many ways. It starts with boosting their self-esteem and confidence. If they are self-aware they have a better understanding of their gender and rights. Teaching them about global citizenship and positive female role models helps them to build confidence. Many girls have very low self-esteem because of their background. They are told to be less important than boys. It is essential that teachers, as well as the students, learn to balance belonging, independence, and generosity because empowerment only works when the environment (family, friends, and society) is included in the process. Only focusing on empowerment in school might not be helpful because when girls go back to their homes, they come back to the same unequal structure. So, part of this is to explain and eliminate stereotypes that keep girls away from their rights. Maybe one of the most powerful ways to educate them is by being an example. It helps them to understand that it is possible and legit to achieve equality. 

Gender transformative education starts on a micro and meso level where the girl /woman understands their own worth, where family and relatives are included in the process. It further goes to the macro level where politics and society play an important role to educate and regulate the empowerment of women.