Empowering Girls Through Education
- Nandana B.G
- Dec 14, 2023
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 10, 2024
Education serves as a powerful key for societal transformation, it’s the most powerful investment to make for our collective future.
Despite important progress in recent decades, the right to education is still far from being a reality for many girls and women. Without education we won’t see any change and right now change is what the world needs.
Education is so important that you can build your entire life and can provide a better life for yourself and your family. Girl’s education in particular is very important because it has been overlooked in many cultures and its very important to empower girls to have the same opportunities that boys do.
Investment in educating girls not only transforms individual lives but also has a far-reaching impact on their family and the society.
Why is it important to educate girls?
First and foremost, it can teach the basic important skills, knowledge, and can transform them into confident individuals and make them ready to face the world. Education also enhances critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Educated girls are better equipped to face challenges, adapt to changes and contribute to finding innovative solutions for societal issues. When girls are educated, they can make better choices for themselves, they are more likely to delay child marriage and early pregnancies which can contribute to lower fertility rates and healthier communities. Educating girls is very important in achieving gender equality as it can dismantle stereotypes, challenge societal norms and fosters a culture of inclusivity. With knowledge, they can stand up against practices that might hold them back.
Empowered girls become women who can actively participate in decision-making processes, both in their households and in their society.
More women in workforce leads to increase in economic productivity and growth, benefitting families, communities and the nation as a whole.
Educating girls breaks the cycle of poverty by improving their family's wellbeing and can lift themselves to a more secure and better life.
Educating women is a key for achieving the sustainable development goals of the United Nations such as Gender equality, Quality Education and reduced inequalities.
For girls, there are several barriers that hinder access to learning opportunities and limit their potential like limited access to schools especially in rural areas. There might be shortage of schools or lack of safe and accessible transportation which can also make it difficult for girls to attend school regularly. Families facing poverty might prioritize the essential needs like food and shelter over education. Discriminatory attitudes and cultural norms can discourage the education of girls and they are often expected to prioritize marriage and family duties over education. Girls who are forced into early marriages or experience early pregnancies often drop out of school. According to UNESCO, 650 million girls are married before the age of 18. Girls drop out of school due to many other reasons like inadequate sanitation facilities or lack of access to menstrual hygiene products which can lead to embarrassment and discomfort, and as a result girls tend to miss school during their menstruation. Additionally, there may be instances of gender-based violence or harassment, whether on the way to school or within the school itself, which can create an unsafe environment, leading to dropout. The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected girl’s education. Moreover, school closures have led to increased dropout rates, especially in vulnerable communities.
Sometimes parents may not understand how important education is, they might not be aware about the long-term benefits of education or at times they might be afraid of the violence which may deter parents from sending their daughters to school. Girls living in conflict zones or displaced population often face disruptions in their education. War and instability can also be one of the reasons.
We, as a global society, need to address this issue and should work towards dismantling the barriers that hinder girls access to education and should create an environment where every girl can thrive academically.
We need to build accessible schools and reduce the distance girls need to travel. Safe and reliable transportation options to schools should also be ensured. Providing financial assistance, scholarships or stipends to unprivileged children, including uniform and textbooks is another solution for this. Recruiting more female teachers can attract more girls to school as they will serve as role models for girls. Implementing mentorship programs with successful female role models can also be done as it motivates and encourages girls to educate themselves.
We should also ensure separate sanitation facilities for girls. Implementing legal reforms that ensure equal educational opportunities for girls and encouraging policies that promote and enforce compulsory education for girls is a very crucial step towards empowering and educating girls. Conducting awareness campaigns to educate parents on long term benefits of girl’s education, campaigns engaging with local communities to understand cultural norms and to address misconceptions about girl’s education and campaigns to alter attitudes and foster a culture of respect and safety for girls is pertinent. We should also foster collaboration between governments, NGOs and the global community to pool resources and expertise.
In essence, empowering girls through education is not just an investment in individuals, its an investment in the future of societies and nations.
It’s a way to make sure that every girl has the chance to shine, to make choices for herself and to make a positive impact on the world. It’s a
pathway towards a more equitable and prosperous world where the potential of every girl is realized and celebrated. Let’s open the doors of education and watch as empowered girls create a brighter and better tomorrow for all of us.
References:
OHCHR & United Nations, (n.d.). Child and forced marriage, including in humanitarian settings. https://www.ohchr.org/en/women/child-and-forced-marriage-including-humanitarian-settings
For any queries, contact me on:
Email: nandana2007sns@gmail.com
Nandana.B.G, 16, India
Published: December 14th, 2023.
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