Women can be Agents of Change

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Washington DC – Our society needs to examine the importance of educating girls and women. It is imperative that special efforts are made by families and young girls themselves to improve their chances in becoming more interested in the pursuit of education. In advanced countries, women are now considered equal partners in increasing the gross national product of the country, but in developing countries, there are fewer opportunities available for girls and women to receive a first class education and then move on to higher education. Not only that, in those countries, women, after completing their education, have to cross many societal barriers to acquire good jobs and receive advancement in their chosen fields.

Studies show a single year of primary education correlates with a 10-20 percent increase in women’s wages later in life; a single year of secondary education results in a 15-25 percent increase. Women with professional education are making gains worldwide, but such gains are slow and not commensurate with their education and training.

Education is the best tool we have available to reliably change entrenched attitudes and it is an important step in breaking the cycle of poverty in developing economies. In many impoverished countries, women are not able to pursue education because of parents wanting to get them married early and live without the responsibility of taking care of them. These young women are then stuck with raising families or working in the fields to support families, which does not give them the opportunity to develop intellectually. Sustenance of the families takes priority; even in developed countries many women tend to drop out of schools, which can be partially due to lack of parental support and supervision or due to dysfunctional family structure and lack of fewer available role models.

Indian immigrants have traditionally placed higher value on attaining a professional education for their children. They have come from those societies where the competition for jobs is higher. They tend to believe that their children are better equipped to compete for jobs if they hold professional certificates and degrees. Parents spend a lot of time taking their children to tutoring and extra-curricular activities so that they can excel in their efforts to gain admissions to schools and colleges that can enable them to pursue their future jobs after they graduate.

Furthermore, it is reported by the news media that although women comprise 50 percent of the population, they represent only 24 percent of the science, technology, engineering and mathematics-related workforce. What is the cause for women to not use the education they receive and settle for unrelated careers?

In the United States, pursuing a higher and professional education has been somewhat easier, and a goal that can be achieved with the help of institutional financing. Many students are able to qualify for financial help, available through a combination of student loans, work study, internships and grants program.

The current interest rate for Stafford direct student loans was locked in 2007 when a bipartisan majority in Congress passed the loan bill and President Bush signed it into law. That legislation expires on July 1 and the rate will jump from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent unless Congress acts to block the increase and renew the current 3.4 interest rate. Women who have been making gains in enrolling for professional education will be affected along with their male counterparts.

President Barack Obama said in May, 2011,“I always hear stories about how we can’t find enough engineers; we can’t find enough computer programmers… And that’s why we’re emphasizing math and science. That’s why we’re emphasizing teaching girls math and science.”

“We’ve got to lift — we’ve got to lift our game up when it comes to technology and math and science. That’s, hopefully, one of the most important legacies that I can have as President of the United States. “

President Barack Obama’s commitment to women is undeniably strong and unprecedented. He has appointed Ms. Melanne Verveer as Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues. In her capacity as director of the Department of State’s new office on Global Women’s Issues, Ambassador Verveer coordinates foreign policy issues and activities relating to the political, economic and social advancement of women around the world.

A couple of months back, I had the opportunity to listen to great speakers, including Ambassador Verveer at an event in Washington DC. The research project of Fairfield University, Impact India 2021: Elevating the Value of Women and Girls in Society, brought to light a very grave situation prevailing in India today. Gita Rajan, the researcher who spent 10 months researching this situation, gave the synopsis of her findings. Her research indicates that there exists in India a complex family dynamic and also familial pressure, which makes it acceptable for many Indian couples to choose to have a male child. The gender selection is legally not allowed in India but it is prevalent. It is feared that a time will come when these males will have a very tough time getting a life partner. It is a grave societal problem. By educating families and asking them to place higher value on a girl child, this situation can be stopped from proliferating.

Quite recently, a Bollywood celebrity, Aamir Khan, via a popular television show ‘Satyamev Jayate,’ has made great efforts in educating people on social issues like female feticide, child sexual abuse and the dowry system. The program website lists the reason that feticide has been pervasive in spite of legal restrictions: “Feticide is enabled because it involves the collusion of families, doctors and a social structure that encourages a male child over a female child, and that too at any cost.” It further elaborates that this preference of a male child has resulted in the death of over 30 million unborn girls since independence.

Presently, gendercide is prevailing on almost every continent. It affects rich and poor, educated and illiterate, and Hindu, Muslim, Confucian and Christian alike. Even wealth cannot stop it. Taiwan and Singapore serve as examples of open and rich economies. China and the northern part of India reportedly have the worst sex ratios; here, people are the richest and to a great extent, well educated. To add to the problem is China’s one-child policy for a couple, which can only be part of the problem and motivates the couple to choose a male over a female child.

There are also cases of domestic violence, mistreatment of women, and gender-based discrimination and harassment in workplaces. Educated societies tend to be aware of human rights and respect the individual for what the individual rightfully deserves, irrespective of their gender orientation. Conversely, discrimination against women in the workforce and gender-based violence negatively affect the ability of women to participate fully in society and contribute to the economy.

Shabana Azmi, a member of parliament and a celebrated actress who is known for her portrayal of a strong Indian woman on screen, says it is the responsibility of filmmakers to project women in the right light for society’s benefit.

“If we understand that in today’s age and day, when girls are being killed at birth for the crime of being a girl, it is the responsibility of cinema to create positive images of women so that people understand that daughters are not a liability, but assets,” said Azmi.

The celebrated actor elaborates that it’s not important to portray women empowered in every film, but an underlying message can easily be passed on in the garb of entertainment.

“I am not saying that every single film must talk about that, but there are subliminal messages. There are subliminal messages that girls can be empowered,” she said.

Finally, educated women are likely to raise happy, healthy and wealthy families. Women can play an important role in raising their own consciousness and rise above the minutia by becoming a valued family member and inspiring others to do the same. They can be the angels of hope and change in society.

 

Angela Anand
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