Not he, not she, but Us! Breaking down the gender gaps and uplifting the community!

Since time immemorial, we have been hearing and seeing things that have shown in ways, sometimes subtle and sometimes, not as much, that the world is not the same for a man and a woman. Though the gap is narrowing with the changing times, there is a long way to go. Education of girls has been proven to be the most potent tool to bring about this change. Thankfully there have been people and NGOs supporting girl’s education, and helping to create a world that is fairer and happier. One such NGO that advocates literacy for girls in rural areas across the world is Educate Girls USA – and we, as a team, can truly bring about the revolution that the new world demands.

But is everything really changing? 

Here are some snippets of the inequality between men and women in the field of education – 

• Primary School Enrolment: According to UNESCO 2021 data, nearly 90% of boys and girls get enrolled in primary school. But, the gender gap very prominent in some regions, such as the sub-Saharan Africa and South and West Asia, the ratio of girls to boys getting enrolled in primary schools is as low as 75:100. 

• Secondary School Enrolment: As per the data given by UNESCO Institute for Statistics, in 2020, the average enrolment rate of female children in secondary education across the globe was 40%, as against 45% for boys. This gap is predominantly noticeable in underdeveloped and developing countries.

• Literacy rates: UNESCO’s 2021 statistics state that 91% of men and 83% of women globally are “educated”. But the data, when looked at some regions, is pretty disturbing – sub-Saharan Africa reports a 74% literacy rate for men as against 60% of women, and South and West Asia reports 81% men and only 60% women as literate or educated.

Education – the greatest tool in the hands of humanity to curb inequality between men and women

It is undeniable that investing in the education of girls is essential for bringing about gender equality and narrowing the gap between the social and economic status of men and women. Education is a dominant force for a progressive change, endowing women, bettering health and lifestyle, better financial independence and creating a lasting impact. 

Here are the five main reasons why education is the biggest, most potent weapon to end the inequality between men and women across the globe –

• To begin with, education empowers women by providing them with information, awareness, specific skills and the self-reliance to challenge the orthodox gender norms and make smart decisions.

• Education is closely linked with better health and lifestyle for women, their families and the community as a whole. Educated women are more likely to pursue prenatal counselling, have lower rates of infant mortality and post-partum issues, and have healthier babies. 

• Education offers financial well-being by offering better job opportunities for women, thus augmenting their earning potential. Educated women can enter into higher earning jobs, and become financially independent, thus supporting themselves and their families.

• Education gives more awareness to women about their rights and responsibilities, thus helping in reducing gender-based violence. Educated women identify and encounter abusive behaviour, and transform the attitude of the society towards violence. 

• Education has a cascading effect on the future generations – educated women educate their children, thus creating a ripple effect that breaks the cycle of poverty and discrimination. That is the reason why there is so much emphasis on supporting girls’ education in developing countries.

Leading activists supporting girls’ education

Social activists and NGOs are striving hard to help girls who are falling victims to the hands of the evil called gender discrimination. That’s the reason why we implore, that you step forward and join hands with Educate Girls USA, to help educate girls across the globe. There are many noteworthy female education activists that have decided to change the status of girls, and support girls’ education through their ideas and actions. 

One such woman is Malala Yousafzai, an activist from Pakistan who has gained global attention by becoming the youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate in 2014, for her incredible work promoting education for all.

Another amazing woman who strongly advocates girls’ education is Michelle Obama, the former First Lady of the USA and American lawyer, author, and influencer. She had launched many initiatives and schemes, such as “Let Girls Learn initiative”, aiming at supporting girls’ education in developing countries and addressing the barriers that lead to discrimination and inequality.

Syrian activist and influencer Muzoon Almellehan, also known as the “Malala of Syria”, is yet another figure, popular for her work in refugee camps. Muzoon is the youngest Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF, and is very vocal about the difficulties faced by refugees in getting basic education. 

What can be done for supporting girls’ education in developing countries – 

Bring a change at the global level is something that is a joint responsibility – the government, NGOs and individuals have to come together to get it done. Here are some of the ways that can lead to a major wave of change, globally!

• Offering scholarships and financial aid to girls is one of the best ways to support girls’ education, as many girls, especially in developing countries drop out of schools due to financial constraints.
• Providing proper infrastructure and facilities at schools, like clean drinking water, sanitation, and basic classrooms, can make it easier for girls to get the education they need, that too in a safer environment.

• There should be enough emphasis on the fact that training teachers is the best way to improve the quality of education. Providing proper training and know-how to the teachers can make them more equipped to empower these little girls with the power of education.

• Creating awareness among the general public about the orthodox cultural and social norms which stops them from attending school can help to create a supportive environment for the education of girls. 

• Educating the parents of young girls about the benefits of education and creating the needed awareness is necessary too. After all, they are the decision makers of the family, and they decide about the future of their daughters.

Let’s first understand that all this is not something that can happen overnight. Proper and effective support for girls’ education requires an all-inclusive approach that challenges multiple barriers. 

We, Educate Girls USA, are a modest organization supporting girls’ education, and this is our humble effort to kindle a spark in your hearts to donate generously – even if your donation changes the life of one girl, would it not be worth it!