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Tonga Empowers Gender Equality in Leadership

Gender Equality in LeadershipTongan women are severely underrepresented in political leadership positions, both at local and national levels. This is a reminder of the gender disparities that persist in society and a reflection of deep-seated social norms that perpetuate the idea that women are less suited for leadership than men. However, through initiatives like the Balance of Power and Tonga Youth Leaders, Tonga is empowering gender equality in leadership, breaking down barriers, challenging traditional views and promoting women’s participation in political decision-making.

Barriers to Tonga’s Women in Political Leadership

While women’s leadership within the public sector and family and community life has had successive progress, political leadership progress is still limited. No more than two women have been elected to the national Parliament in a general election, which was in 2017. In the most recent election, in 2021, no women were elected. Women’s underrepresentation in political leadership is a result of barriers that are often rooted in cultural, social and institutional factors that perpetuate gender inequality and limit women’s opportunities to participate actively in political decision-making processes.

Some key barriers to Tonga’s women in political leadership include:

  • Cultural and social norms are deeply ingrained. These norms perpetuate the view that men are inherently better in leadership positions than women and that women don’t have the “right” skills and experience for political leadership roles that men do. Such norms can deter women from pursuing careers in leadership positions, as they may face societal pressures to conform to traditional gender roles.
  • Gender stereotypes can undermine women’s credibility as political leaders. Women who pursue careers in politics face scrutiny, discrimination and bias based on gender, with their qualifications, capabilities and decisions questioned or dismissed due to stereotypes about women’s competence in leadership roles.
  • A lack of media representation of women’s voices. Media plays a crucial role in shaping public perceptions, influencing opinions and circulating information about political candidates and issues. Underrepresentation in the media can reinforce gender stereotypes and traditional gender roles.
  • Institutional and legal frameworks can limit women’s political participation. Women do not have the same financial resources as men. The practice of voters expecting reciprocal gifts from candidates creates challenges for women, as they may have limited resources or face societal pressures that prevent them from meeting these demands. While bribery is illegal under Tongan electoral law, voters do not classify it as bribery and this makes it harder for women to compete effectively in elections.

The importance of gender equality in leadership is crucial as men and women often have differing needs and viewpoints, highlighting the significance of ensuring women are represented. With women constituting half of the population, it is pivotal that their interests are effectively addressed. A balanced participation of both men and women in decision-making is essential.

Balance of Power

Balance of Power is an Australian Government funded, locally-led approach to supporting women in political leadership. It is an initiative aimed at addressing gender disparities in political representation by shifting social norms and attitudes that impede women from being recognized as credible leaders. It focuses on promoting gender equality in leadership by empowering women to participate actively in political leadership roles.

The Balance of Power initiative employs adaptive management and politically informed approaches to drive change. Through training, mentorship and advocacy, the Balance of Power seeks to challenge social norms, traditional views and barriers that hinder women’s engagement in politics. The initiative executes this with media collaboration to increase women’s leadership visibility, strengthening the Women in Leadership Coalition, research and advocacy to address negative perceptions and regional engagement to change social norms.

Tonga Youth Leaders

Tonga Youth Leaders is a “youth-led organization that empowers and develops Tongan youth to become catalysts for positive change in their own communities.” The organization was set up in 2017 by Elizabeth Kite to give a voice to the Tongan youth and encourage their participation in community development through small projects and fostering leadership skills.

The Tonga Youth Leaders organized an initiative called Girls Takeover Parliament, which offers 26 young women and girls the chance to participate in a parliamentary setting, enabling them to express and share views on national issues. The Girls Takeover Parliament initiative helps young women and girls realise their potential, develop leadership skills and allow them the opportunity to pursue a career in politics.

About 90% of participants expressed their interest in pursuing a career in politics after they attended the Girls Takeover Parliament initiative. The initiative has had a significant impact on empowering young women and girls and raising awareness about youth engagement and gender equality in leadership.

Tonga’s commitment to empowering gender equality in leadership is evident through innovative initiatives like the Balance of Power and Tonga Youth Leaders. These initiatives not only challenge social norms and traditional views and break down barriers but also foster inclusivity and encourage youth engagement, as well as women’s active participation in decision-making roles. Through targeted programs, media collaborations and community engagement, Tonga is paving the way for a more equitable and representative political landscape.

– Isabella Green

Isabella is based in Aylesbury, UK and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Gendered Wages and the Gender Wage Gap in Barbados

Gender Wage Gap in BarbadosWhen picturing Barbados many people imagine golden beaches and sunny skies, yet this is not always the reality. Barbados, located in the Caribbean Sea, is one of the many places in the world that still experiences gender inequality. According to the World Economic Forum, in Barbados, “women earn about 86.8% of their male counterparts.” This means that even in today’s modern age, women are still experiencing a huge pay difference from men. Due to experiencing a larger pay difference than men, women in Barbados are more likely to experience poverty. As well as this, according to the U.N., “more women than men tend to fall below the poverty line.”

The Issue

The gender pay gap seems to be something of the past, but the evidence in places such as Barbados shows that this is not the case at all and that the gender wage gap remains. Women are continually experiencing negative stigma and inconsistencies in working conditions such as wages and this statistic only serves to highlight this problem. Women who are experiencing a gender wage gap are experiencing this due to, “a population’s cultural beliefs and attitudes toward women.” This means that many countries are still harboring negative and sexist attitudes towards women, which needs to change for the gender wage gap in Barbados and around the world to fully close.

Tackling the gender pay gap in places like Barbados could create better living conditions as well as more opportunities for jobs around the world. The gender wage gap in Barbados highlights the inequalities that are still prevalent between men and women, and studies show that “countries with more gender equality tend to be happier.” Improving gender equality and the gender pay gap benefits both men and women.

The Future

Mother’s Union is fighting for gender equality across the globe and support women who are in these places striving for equality as well as providing a safe space for women to talk. Since 1913, the Mother’s Union has more than 2,000 members who help reach out to women and support them in Barbados. The Mother’s Union has many different outreach programs in Barbados such as counseling services and skills training. In 2023 it also celebrated its 110th year anniversary.

– Kiera Egars

Kiera is based in Leeds, UK and focuses on Politics and World News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Udaan’s Efforts in Nepal: Giving Girls a Second Chance

Udaan's Efforts in Nepal: Giving Girls a Second ChanceWomen constitute more than half of Nepal’s population, yet they reside in a society where traditional norms frequently restrict girls’ access to education. However, Udaan’s efforts in Nepal aim to change this reality. The Udaan project, translating to flight or soar in Nepali, represents a transformative effort to educate and empower girls.

The Challenges Girls Face in Nepal

According to the Educational Equality Institute, societal norms, affordability issues and a lack of parental motivation hinder girls’ access to education in Nepal. Notably, 5.1% of Nepal’s population lived on $1.90 a day in 2022 and 20.27% lived below the poverty line in 2023. Poverty increases the likelihood of children, especially girls, dropping out of school. Approximately 18% of Nepalese children do not complete primary education, with girls making up 49% of this group. Parents often prioritize marriage over education for their daughters, believing they cannot secure jobs to support their parents in the future, unlike their sons. This mindset leads to many girls leaving school early, perpetuating cycles of poverty and inequality.

Transformative Education through UDAAN

Udaan has become a driving force for change, offering girls a chance to overcome societal barriers and chase their dreams. The project delivers comprehensive support through scholarships, mentorship programs and community engagement efforts. These scholarships pay for tuition, books, snacks and other educational expenses, eliminating financial hurdles and allowing girls to continue their education without interruption. Aimed at girls aged 9 to 14, Udaan features an intensive 11-month curriculum designed to challenge damaging social norms and provide a stable, secure environment for girls’ education. This enables them to catch up on missed education and rejoin the public school system within a year.

Udaan’s Efforts in Nepal: Shaping the Future

Beyond offering education to girls, Udaan also aims to prevent child marriage by providing quality education. This empowers them to make informed life decisions, secure sustainable jobs and support themselves and their families. As Udaan expands its impact, the outlook for girls in Nepal is bright. Empowering each girl to follow her dreams and contribute to her community, Udaan’s influence reaches well beyond the classroom, fostering a more equitable and inclusive society for future generations.

Looking Forward

Udaan’s comprehensive approach promises a brighter future for girls in Nepal, breaking the chains of poverty and gender bias. Udaan’s efforts in Nepal are pivotal to this mission. Through education and empowerment, this initiative paves the way for young women to achieve their potential and contribute significantly to their communities. The ripple effects of their success are bound to foster greater gender equality and economic development across Nepal. As these girls soar to new heights, they exemplify the transformative power of education in shaping societies.

– Erika David

Erika David is based in Union, NJ, USA and focuses on Good News and Technology and Solutions for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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What Is Being Done To Alleviate the Gender Wage Gap in Austria

Gender Wage Gap in AustriaDespite high female employment rates, Austria grapples with one of the European Union’s largest gender pay gaps. Women’s economic independence is hindered by a prevalence of part-time work and unpaid care responsibilities within families, leading to career breaks and financial repercussions. This is compounded by gender segregation in lower-paying service industry jobs, with women significantly underrepresented in leadership positions across sectors such as economy, science, politics and public service. However, two of the most important ways that the gender wage gap in Austria has been addressed are through the National Action Plan (NAP) on Gender Equality in the Labor Market and the Pay Transparency Law.

Action Plan on Gender Equality in the Labor Market

Published in 2010, the NAP outlined strategies for the period spanning from 2010 to 2013 with the goal of eliminating existing gender disparities in the workforce and promoting the strategic and coordinated implementation of diverse initiatives and policies. Notably, the NAP highlighted the fact that women who are not fully integrated into the labor market or are marginally employed face a heightened risk of poverty in their later years. Especially because, in 2007, more than 70% of women who received a net income from the widow’s pension received pensions that fell below the poverty risk threshold, set at 60% of the median income.

During the period spanning 2019 to 2020, the EU-co-funded initiative known as “TRAPEZ – transparent pension future – securing women’s economic independence in old age” conducted an in-depth investigation into Austria’s Gender Gap in Pensions (GGP). The project’s objective was to thoroughly analyze the GGP and recommend practical strategies to mitigate its effects, ultimately bolstering the financial independence of older women.

The strategies outlined in the NAP likely provided important insights and data that informed the direction and focus of the TRAPEZ project. Additionally, the NAP’s emphasis on coordinated implementation of initiatives and policies to address gender disparities in the workforce would have fostered a collaborative approach among stakeholders, including governmental bodies, research institutions and advocacy groups. Overall, by recognizing the heightened risk of poverty faced by women with limited labor market integration or marginal employment, it seems that the NAP laid the groundwork for subsequent initiatives aimed at enhancing women’s financial security and narrowing the gender wage gap in Austria.

The Austrian Pay Transparency Law

Introduced in 2011, the transparency law ensures that if a company has more than 1000 employees, they are required to publish an annual income report detailing information about men’s wages and women’s wages as well as a clear statement of the minimum wage in job vacancy advertisements. Fortunately, there was a more significant wage increase among newly hired women in large firms following the reform compared to newly hired men, indicating a narrowing of the gender wage gap among recent hires.

However, according to results from a regression discontinuity design, the transparency law did not alter wages or the gender wage gap because the law’s impact on employment growth or turnover was small and lacked statistical significance. Notably, for larger firms, the transparency law correlated with a decreased percentage of women employed in treated firms. It seems that the implications for the gender wage gap in Austria, based on the transparency law, are mixed. On the one hand, the transparency law’s requirement for larger companies to disclose wage disparities and minimum wage information in job advertisements has potentially contributed to a reduction in the gender wage gap among recent hires. However, the overall impact of the law on income inequality is limited, as it did not significantly alter wages or the gender wage gap across the board.

Concerns

Transparency law advocates assert that disclosing pay information is crucial in closing the gender pay gap in Austria, as it enables women to confront discriminatory wage practices. However, skeptics express concerns regarding potential administrative burdens and fear that men might capitalize on the disclosed information more effectively than women. Some suggest that the policy’s ineffectiveness could be attributed to the fact that it does not require firms to act upon revealed wage differences. Additionally, the policy’s limited scope, which does not address factors such as firm sorting, may have contributed to its lack of effectiveness.

However, the transparency policy did result in a reduction in the rate at which individuals leave their employment at a treated firm within a given period. This suggests that the policy may have alleviated concerns about unfair pay schedules among workers, leading to higher job satisfaction and reduced turnover.

Final Remark

Currently, the gender wage gap in Austria has reduced from 23.5% to 18.8% from 2011 to 2021. Although this gap remains above the EU average, it is clear that progress has been made in reducing the wage gap over the past decade. Further initiatives focusing on transparency, equitable pay practices and broader gender equality measures will be crucial in achieving lasting change.

– Avery Fuller
Photo: Pexels

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The World Bank’s New Gender Strategy: Female Leadership

World Bank's New Gender StrategyAcross the world, gender equality is “an urgent imperative,” according to the World Bank. The global community is currently grappling with an unparalleled series of crises disproportionately affecting women and girls. Gender equality is a cornerstone for fostering a world characterized by peace and prosperity, playing an essential role in the global developmental trajectory.

While achieving gender equality is a continuous challenge for the worldwide community, the proposed World Bank Gender Strategy 2024-2030 attempts to “accelerate gender equality for a sustainable, resilient and inclusive future in alignment with the World Bank Evolution Roadmap.” The strategy actively promotes engagement with public and private sector clients, development partners, civil society and other critical stakeholders to achieve key objectives. Objectives include engaging women as community leaders and increasing opportunities for women, both crucial in addressing gender-specific challenges and promoting overall economic and social progress.

Empowering Women in Eastern and Southern Africa

The World Bank article, “Transforming the Lives of Women and Girls in Eastern and Southern Africa,” focuses on applying the institution’s new Gender Strategy in East and South Africa from 2016-2023 and exploring the future implications of this updated approach. In both Eastern and Southern Africa, women and girls are faced with extreme educational and economic disadvantages continuously. While essential strides for gender equality have been made within these regions, there is still far more to achieve.

“In AFE countries, only 26% of women had an account with a financial institution in FY17 and women are 24% less likely than men to have an account. Only 10% of women borrowed for their business or farm and business ownership is disproportionately skewed toward men; for instance, 70% of Rwanda’s businesses are owned by men.” Ultimately, the World Bank hopes to close these gender gaps and boost female empowerment by continuing to engage women as leaders and increase their opportunities within communities.

Addressing Gender Disparities

In response to the challenges of gender equality, specific projects have been launched by the World Bank’s Gender Strategy to increase women’s participation in entrepreneurial endeavors. One example is the Ethiopia Women Entrepreneurship Development Project, aiming to increase earnings and employment for women in targeted cities. The program guarantees participants access to finances and supports the development of their entrepreneurial and technical skills. It has provided more than 24,000 women with loans, leading to an average income increase of 68%.

The Intersection of Gender Equality and Global Health

The World Bank will continue establishing and developing its New Gender Strategy program because of the positive effects investing in women and girls can have within communities, as shown through a U.N. case study on investing in women’s leadership. The disproportionately high HIV infection rates among adolescent girls and young women, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, stem from intersecting factors such as unequal power dynamics, gender norms and limited access to health care and resources.

To combat this, empowering young women through providing education, access to resources and leadership opportunities is crucial for reducing HIV incidence and achieving global health and gender equality targets. “The world will not be able to defeat AIDS while reinforcing patriarchy. The only effective route map to ending AIDS and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals is a feminist route map,” quoted Winnie Byanyima, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) Executive Director.

In Summary

The pursuit of gender equality remains an urgent global imperative, especially amid crises disproportionately impacting women and girls. The World Bank’s Gender Strategy 2024-2030 aims to accelerate equality and global improvements by empowering women as leaders within communities and achieving goals of economic gender equality. Initiatives like the Ethiopia Women Entrepreneurship Development Project exemplify targeted efforts to enhance women’s economic participation and empowerment, echoing the broader call to bridge gender gaps worldwide.

– Marisa Kole
Photo: Unsplash

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Aurat Foundation: Fighting Poverty in Pakistan

Aurat FoundationIn a 2023 report, the World Bank expected poverty level in Pakistan to reach 37.2%. This percentage is slightly below the previous rate of 39.8% in 2018, however, when adjusting for population growth, the number of Pakistanis living in poverty has grown by nearly 3 million since 2018. Considering these rates, this article will outline three factors that are contributing to individuals being poor in Pakistan today.

Deeply Rooted Inequalities in Pakistan

Social inequalities, specifically those rooted in gender workplace discrimination, are the first factor leading to individuals being poor in Pakistan. According to the World Bank, gender inequalities remain persistent in Pakistan, with only one out of four working-age women participating in the labor force and 80% of these women working in agriculture. The majority of women therefore find themselves concentrated in low-paid jobs and have limited opportunities for upward mobility in the formal sector of the economy, making these social inequalities a primary factor of being poor in Pakistan.

Environmental Degradation in Pakistan

Environmental Degradation is the second factor contributing to being poor in Pakistan today. Asian Development Bank (ADB) outlines a clear connection existing between environmental degradation and poverty, with both factors continually reinforcing each other. “Increasing air pollution and contamination of ground and surface water,” for example, are “the most commonly cited indicators of environmental degradation in Pakistan” and ones that those living in poverty are especially vulnerable to. Long-term exposure to these pollutants has significant effects on the health of impoverished individuals, who must then devote significant portions of their already limited incomes to health costs.

Limited Poverty Reduction Programs

The final factor contributing to being poor in Pakistan is the insufficient poverty reduction programs that the country has implemented. Although Pakistan indeed has a long history of poverty reduction programs, these programs tend to focus on only one measure of poverty and thus often fall short of reducing overall poverty levels. These programs also account for only about 2% of GDP and have a limited outreach, thus making them the third factor that is contributing to poverty in Pakistan.

The Good News: Aurat Foundation

Established in 1986, the Aurat Foundation focuses on spreading awareness and creating a society where men and women are coequal, both possessing the right to lead their lives in whichever ways they decide. This right extends to the formal sector of the economy, a sector that with a current male domination. Throughout its many years of operation, the Aurat Foundation has therefore established itself as a prominent NGO in Pakistan, specifically focusing on “providing grants, undertaking advocacy for women’s economic empowerment through gender-responsive budgetary allocations and incorporating of women’s concerns into the macro-economic policy framework and social protection programs.”

In addition to women’s political and economic empowerment, the Aurat Foundation contributes to disaster relief, particularly in launching the Motherland Flood Relief Campaign which responded to “Pakistan’s worst-ever floods in 2010.” These floods are ones that disproportionately affect the poor in Pakistan as these individuals lack the resources necessary to rebuild their lives after such a disaster.

In understanding these deeply rooted inequalities, the effects of environmental degradation and limited poverty reduction programs, the detrimental effects of being poor in Pakistan become clear. However, looking at the Aurat Foundation’s work, people can learn how to mediate these effects for each impoverished individual in Pakistan for a better future.

– Staff Reports
Photo: Pixabay

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Women’s Rights and Gender Equality in Lithuania

Gender Equality in LithuaniaThe principle of equal opportunity and equal treatment has been held since 1992, but recent years have marked a period of change in gender equality initiatives in Lithuania. Before then, few movements or government legislations existed that encouraged great institutional change in gender equality, particularly in industries such as science and research.

Governmental Gender Equality Initiatives

The Ministry of Social Security and Labour is in charge of equality policy in Lithuania and ensuring that their strategies are effectively implemented.  In 2021, this government group took on responsibility for ensuring gender equality as a core value in the work of the nation’s central government. The ministry also had an internal structure named the Equal Opportunities and Equality between Women and Men Group, which oversees government policy on anti-discrimination and gender equality. This group has eight employees, two of whom work strictly on gender-based issues.

Initiatives in the Workplace

In 2016, the Ministry of Social Security and Labour implemented the initiative “Municipal Success Code- Gender Equality.” This project aims to reduce gender disparities regarding both the right to work and rights at work by purposely targeting issues such as the wage gap between genders and public education on the impacts of this inequality. This project ran until December 2019.

This program tackled the gender pay gap in municipalities by raising public awareness, identifying factors that determine equality and developing targeted solutions. Consequently, in 2017, a list of gender-based inequality indicators was compiled, encompassing nine key factors: “demography, knowledge, participation in the labor market, access to social services, economic power (resources), authorities and decision-making, health and health services, domestic violence and time.” This list of specifics meant that the correct targeted measures could be issued to the appropriate people and areas.

Lithuania’s movements towards women’s rights in the workplace have made an impact. The percentage of unemployed females (5.5%) stands slightly lower than the unemployment rate of men, which is currently at 7%. However, there is still progress to be made in this sector, as the proportion of females spending time on unpaid chores remains at 18.7%, which is notably higher than the male figure of 9%.

Women’s NGOs in Lithuania

“According to data from the Lithuania’s Women’s Information Centre, there were 63 women’s NGOs in existence on 1 January 1999.” Although there is no “umbrella term” involving all organizations for women in Lithuania, the Lithuanian Women’s Association embraces 12 member organizations. Additionally, 18 women’s organizations are involved in this association’s coordination council and the Women’s Information Centre was founded as a mediator for all the organizations in the nation. This has been monumental for women’s rights.

For instance, these initiatives sped up the implementation of the Law on Equal Opportunities, which benefits women’s rights in the opportunity to and ability to engage in public life. Additionally, it focuses on improving sectors such as transport and infrastructure. Another significant example was their cooperation to engage in protests against “quotas established for men during the entrance examinations at the Kaunas Institute of Technology in 1998.” These quotas were put in place by the university itself, demonstrating the severity of institutional gender bias. This powerful initiative meant that these quotas were soon abolished.

Initiatives Against Violence Against Women

Violence against women is a serious problem in Lithuania. The 2014 European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights survey data results demonstrated that, since the age of 15, 31% of women in Lithuania have experienced physical and/or sexual violence. The Network of Specialized Assistance Centres was set up by NGOs and has been in place since 2012. This initiative set up centers to support victims of violence, educate them on how and where they can receive this aid and help in restoring interpersonal relationships with family members.

Further, in 2012, the Lithuanian government initiated an Inter-Institutional action plan focused on crime prevention and the control of violence, with a particular emphasis on violence against women. In 2015, more than 8,000 women received assistance through these centers. Lithuania currently operates 17 specialized support centers to aid women who are victims of domestic violence.

Looking Ahead

Thanks to these efforts, Lithuania ranks ninth globally for gender equality, as reported by the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report for 2023. Elements of gender equality can be seen in the social aspects of everyday life in Lithuania. For instance, the literacy rate of males and females aged 15 and above stands at 99.8%. With the ongoing support of the Lithuanian government, the fight for gender equality is certainly progressing in the right direction and can be expected to strengthen even further.

– Eva McMonigle
Photo: Flickr

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The Intersectionality of Gender and Poverty in India

Gender and Poverty in IndiaAccording to NITI Aayog’s National Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) 2023, 14.96% of the Indian population live in multidimensional poverty. However, like the rest of the world, there is an intersectionality between gender and poverty in India. In particular, women are most susceptible to experiencing poverty and poverty most harshly impacts them. SwaTaleem is a nonprofit organization based in India that recognizes this intersectionality and works to uplift and empower girls and women in India.

Gendered Impact of Poverty

In the 1980s, feminists analyzed this intersectionality of poverty and gender and came to the conclusion that poverty affected women more than it affected men and that females suffered more than their male counterparts. This phenomenon and understanding came to be known as the “feminization of poverty”– a global truth. According to projections by UN Women, UNDP and the Pardee Center for International Futures from February 2022, an estimated 388 million women and girls lived in extreme poverty globally, compared to 372 million men and boys. This gender-based gap has only widened since the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in developing nations like India.

When examined, there are many reasons why this might be the case. According to a 1995 paper written by Kathryn King in Tulsa Studies in Women’s Literature, Vol. 14, No. 1, titled “Of Needles and Pens and Women’s Work,” others have traditionally restricted women to the private sphere of society and this remains largely true in the rural and sub-rural areas of India.

Killing of the female child after birth (infanticide) or even before birth (foeticide) is common in many urban and rural households, and if that is not the case, they experience neglect and exploitation with a noticeable bias toward the male child of the family. Even in urban areas, issues like double burden (that is, women having to take up the responsibility of both taking care of the household and children and of working) and the gender wage gap prevail. Additionally, a lot of the work women do in the household falls under the category of unpaid (and unrecognized) labor.

Education for The Poor Girl Child

As per data, more than 53 million girls in India–between the ages of 12 and 18–belong to underprivileged communities. Even though school enrollment of girls in India has been increasing and has increased from 10.7 to 28.1 million between 2000 and 2014, girls continue to drop out of school at higher rates than boys and many become victims of child marriage (despite it being illegal). According to data published by UNFPA in 2021, there are 102 million child brides in India. These trends highlight the need for niche organizations and NGOs like SwaTaleem to enter into this space of intersectionality of gender and poverty in India, and address the concerns that largely remain ignored by mainstream initiatives.

SwaTaleem’s Efforts

SwaTaleem is a New Delhi-based nonprofit organization that came into existence in 2015 and uses a participatory system-based approach to address the intersectionality of gender and poverty in India, helping those who live within this intersectionality. The organization aims to break the cycle of oppression by helping girls from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, and rural and tribal areas gain access to high-quality education and foundational skills, overcome language barriers and achieve financial freedom.

SwaTaleem majorly works with Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBV schools), which are residential girls’ secondary schools run by the Government of India since 2004 to provide for and ensure quality education for girls belonging to the disadvantaged sections in India. Its methodology consists of working with school clusters through collaborative efforts and by using low-tech IVRS (Interactive Voice Response Service) technology to allow for an engaging and participatory approach to education.

Through its consistent efforts, the NGO has multiple ongoing programs, including:

  • Girls Engagement Program which conducts in hybrid mode.
  • Teacher Professional Development Program which includes both a digital component and a field-based component.
  • Parent Engagement Program where parents participate in the education of their daughters through regular contact points.
  • Women Leaders Program which aims at social transformation by recruiting and creating local women as leaders for community work while generating employment opportunities.
  • Government Officials Engagement Program where the organization engages government officials in the process and challenges systemic hierarchies.

SwaTaleem’s Impact

Through its work spanning the past eight years, SwaTaleem has positively influenced the lives of millions of girls and women. The organization has achieved this through its IVRS program, placing close to 100,000 calls annually and delivering more than 10,600 hours of educational content. Additionally, under its parent engagement initiative, it has made nearly 3,700 calls. Although SwaTaleem’s reach extends to practically every girl in India, its broader impact on the community is noteworthy. This success stands as a testament to the adage that “little by little, a little becomes a lot.”

– Manasvi Kadian
Photo: Flickr

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Gender Equality Improves in Sub-Saharan Africa

Gender Equality in Sub-Saharan AfricaGender equality in Sub-Saharan Africa improves as countries take positive strides to increase women’s involvement in their national economies. Gabon and Côte d’Ivoire are making significant strides in achieving scores above 90 on the World Bank’s Women, Business and the Law index.

Poverty and Gender Equality in Sub-Saharan Africa 

Promoting global gender equality is one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations in 2015. The goal is to achieve gender equality by 2030. UN Women conducted a new data analysis that spotlights gender-based discrimination across all 17 SDGs and then summarized where Sub-Saharan Africa stands in comparison globally. 

The first Sustainable Development Goal is no poverty. The global average is that 122 women in the 24-34 year-old cohort live in extreme poverty for every 100 men of the same cohort. In Sub-Saharan Africa, the average is 127 women living in extreme poverty for every 100 men in the same cohort. The fifth Sustainable Development Goal is about gender equality and reducing the barriers for women and girls. Globally, women do 2.6 times the unpaid domestic work compared to their male counterparts. In the three countries that UN Women looked at — Ethiopia, Mali and Mauritius — women, on average, spend 19% to 22% of their day doing unpaid domestic work. Meanwhile, men spend approximately 2.5% to 8.7% of the day on unpaid domestic labor in the same three countries.

The global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) comprehensively measures how poor a population is based on a summary figure of the three dimensions of poverty — health, education and living standards. The most recent survey year for Gabon was 2012, and based on the data collected, 15.6% of the population is multidimensionally poor. The most recent survey year for Côte d’Ivoire was 2016 when 46.1% of the population was multidimensionally poor.

Reforms in Gabon

Gabon adopted new laws in 2021 that revised the country’s 1972 Civil Code. The Civil Code had previously been rooted in French colonial labor laws that imposed constraints on the jobs and sectors women worked in, the hours and the pay for their labor. As part of the 2021 revisions to reduce these constraints, women in Gabon could:

  • Be heads of household.
  • Own and manage property.
  • Choose where they live. 
  • Have independent bank accounts not connected to their husbands.
  • Have access to more jobs that were previously unavailable to women.

Additionally, reforms to the Criminal Code in 2021 protected Gabonese women from gender-based discrimination when accessing credit.

In May 2023, the First Lady of Gabon, Sylvia Bongo Ondimba, patronized a three-day event promoting women’s rights and empowering them during the Conference of Ministers in Gender and the Advancement of Women. The event highlighted how vital the inclusion of women is when it comes to political and peace processes. At the end of the event, the eleven countries present adopted the “Declaration on the Common Agenda on priority actions for the promotion of women’s rights and their empowerment.”

Reforms in Côte d’Ivoire 

The results of the Program for the Analysis of Educational Systems were published in 2021. This report revealed that only 41% of children could read above the satisfactory level during their final year, and only 17% showed satisfactory proficiency in math.

Côte d’Ivoire has transformed its education system in response to the report. During the 2023/2024 school year, Côte d’Ivoire began the National Early Learning Program, which uses cognitive science and neuropsychology to understand how children read during their early schooling years. In addition to reforms on how children learn, Côte d’Ivoire is also reducing gender inequality and stereotypes in the educational system through: 

  • Training teachers.
  • Increasing female representation in school leadership.
  • Promoting safety.
  • Preventing violence.
  • A revised curriculum.

Concluding Remarks

The reforms that Gabon and Côte d’Ivoire have taken so far are essential steps in the 2030 Agenda to promote gender equality and reduce the barriers that women face. These steps help women gain greater access to rights at all levels — from education to economic systems and political processes. Gabon and Côte d’Ivoire are leading the charge of increasing gender equality in Sub-Saharan Africa.

– Komalpreet Kaur
Photo: Flickr

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Updates on SDG 5 in Namibia: Setting the Standard 

SDG 5 in NamibiaNamibia, a southern African country with a population slightly above 2.5 million, marked a milestone in global development. It is currently the first African country to meet the fifth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), dedicated to advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment. 

In 2012, the United Nations (UN) created a list of 17 interconnected goals to act as the blueprint for a more sustainable, equitable and prosperous future for people and the planet by 2030. These “global goals” cover many issues, including poverty, hunger, health, education, gender equality, clean water and more.

SDG 5: Empowering Women and Combating Gender Discrimination

United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 specifically targets ending discrimination against women and girls through a comprehensive approach that encompasses the following:

  • Including women in the labor market: Globally, only one in two women work for wages as compared to three in four men.  
  • Ending violence against women,  both physical and sexual abuse: One in three women above the age of 15 experience physical/sexual violence in their lifetime. 
  • Stopping harmful practices such as child marriage and female genital mutilation: At least 200 million girls are subject to female genital mutilation. In 2021, nearly one in five girls were married before age 15. 
  • Integrating women within leadership and decision-making roles: The UN reports that women’s representation in government across more than 23 countries was under 10% in 2022. 
  • Adopting policies that strengthen and empower women and girls: Remove discriminatory laws and replace them with legislation to reflect society’s equal gender roles. 
  • Strengthening women’s empowerment through technology: Women make up a significant portion of the 3.9 billion people lacking access to technology.
  • Recognizing the value of domestic unpaid work: Women are more than twice as likely to be engaged in domestic work than men. 

Gender Equality and Economic Growth

Gender equality is not only a matter of human rights but also a driver of poverty reduction and good governance. The World Bank’s Gender Employment Gap Index (GEGI) predicts that closing all gender gaps would result in a 20% increase in GDP across all countries.  

Namibia’s Commitment to SDG 5

Working on SDG 5 in Namibia achieved the following: 

  • Achieving gender balance in the labor force: In 1990, women represented 45.6% of the workforce. As of 2022, women represent 49.8%. 
  • Ensuring gender-equitable education for males and females: In 1990, women’s literacy rate was 74%. Currently, the rate for women above 15 is 91.4%, equal to that of men.  
  • Increasing the representation of women in national government positions: In 2013, women held 24.36% of government positions. As of February 2021, women held 44.2% of parliamentary seats.
  • Increasing women’s use of technology: Around 93.6% of female-headed households have mobile telephone access.  

These accomplishments are a testament to the influence SDG 5 has had on local and national legislation, education and public awareness in Namibia. The Namibian government has implemented and enforced legislation prohibiting sex-based discrimination in the workforce and public campaigns promoting positive gender roles while eradicating harmful practices such as female genital mutilation. These efforts have facilitated women’s transition from the informal to the formal economy, giving autonomy to women and bringing them into the workforce. As of 2023, more than 50% of women are in the workforce, and 80% of Namibian women hold a bank account through an institution or online platform. 

Critical Success Factors: Collaboration

Namibia’s success in meeting SDG 5 goals is due to a cooperative effort between international organizations led by the UN, local Namibian government institutions and citizen-led movements. Namibia achieved a remarkable 91.7% implementation of the SDG 5 programs through this collaborative effort.

Participation of the UN has been vital to meeting SDG 5 in Namibia. Particularly noteworthy was the support from the United Nations Children’s Fund, the United Nations Population Fund and UN Women. Furthermore, local and governmental institutions within Namibia played crucial roles. In fact, the Namibia Ministry of Health and Social Services and the Namibia Ministry of Gender Equality played essential roles in following these advancements. 

Another notable role involved Namibian citizens. The “ShutItAllDown” movement in October 2020 propelled the country into action, calling for the protection of women against gender violence. Protests in Namibia’s capital, Windhoek, began in response to gender-based violence following the femicide of Shannon Wasserfall as a result of protesters’ demands. Namibia implemented security measures to enhance women’s protection. The government implemented a school curriculum focused on gender-based violence and enhanced training for police officers.

The Way Forward

To address poverty among women in Namibia, a robust political movement has emerged, accompanied by increased budgetary allocations for gender mainstreaming. National initiatives focus on preventing and educating against gender-based violence, and a recent positive step involves the elimination of the “tampon tax.” Legal foundations, such as The Namibian Constitution (1990) and the Combating of Domestic Violence Act (2003), along with affirmative action, contribute significantly to gender equality and poverty reduction.

Despite commendable progress, challenges persist, necessitating continued efforts. Achieving gender equality is an enduring process demanding sustained commitment across various sectors. Notably, Namibia’s significant strides in fulfilling SDG 5 exemplify the attainability of such goals. Also, Namibia’s progress could serve as an inspiration for neighboring countries.

– Isabella Oliver-Steinberg
Photo: Flickr