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Girls’ Education in Vietnam

Girls' Education in Vietnam
Vietnam, an ethnically and culturally diverse country located in Southeast Asia, has dedicated itself to educating its population. The country has often recognized international efforts to accomplish universal education such as the Dakar Framework for Action and has even worked towards accomplishing the Millennium Development Goals of achieving universal primary education and promoting gender equality. Now there is a specific focus on girls’ education in Vietnam.

Education: History and Progress

It must be noted that Vietnam’s long history of warfare up until 1975 has had many repercussions that caused economic isolation and extensive poverty. However, the government has since made drastic improvements to its economic situation and have even moved up the economic scale to become a low-middle income country. Significant progress is presented in Vietnam’s education through literacy. In 2010, 94 percent of Vietnam’s total population was considered literate: 96.1 percent of the male populace and 92 percent of females.

According to UNESCO’s 2005 report little gender disparity exists in educational attainment. In that year, Vietnam’s net enrollment rate at the primary level was 88 percent and at the secondary level, 69 percent, with a three percent difference in favor of boys at the secondary level. Although the country has made great strides in its educational attainment efforts, girls’ education in Vietnam still poses challenges.

Education and Ethnic Minorities

Today, a critical issue affecting many Vietnamese is the right to education for ethnic women. Forty-three percent of Vietnam lives in poverty and the majority of that are ethnic minorities. Although ethnic minorities hold different languages, religions, and customs, under the Vietnamese constitution, every citizen has the right and responsibility to an education. The many problems that inhibit proper education of the ethnic female population are:

  • the economic and financial situation in the home
  • the lack of value surrounding educational importance
  • the poor quality of teaching and infrastructure at local schools.

NGO Collaborations

Luckily, the Vietnamese government and international NGOs are working together not only to improve overall education, but to improve girls’ education in Vietnam. In 2015, UNESCO and The Ministry of Education and Training and UNESCO joined together to set the Gender Equality and Girls’ Education into action. According to UNESCO, launching the initiative will help:

  • renovate curriculum and textbooks to become more “gender neutral”
  • train education managers and policy developers
  • develop innovative teaching and learning materials
  • establish joint efforts between parents and communities to support schools
  • promote enabling environments for students to better apply what they learn in school within their homes and communities.

H.E. Vice Minister Nguyen Thi Nghia, Chair of the Education Sector Committee for the Advancement of Women commented on the initiative and status of gender equality in her country: “ gender inequality is one of the underlying challenges to the eradication of poverty, creating a barrier to the country’s sustainable development.” The statement proves that it is essential that the government continue its steps to further benefit girls’ education in Vietnam. It should continue to pass legislation that deals with gender equality in education. Vietnam should also continue to educate further generations of young people to be aware of gender issues throughout the country. It is no secret that when education for girls improves, all parts of society also improve.

– Emma Martin

Photo: Flickr

Women Empowerment and Employment in India | The Borgen Project

Women empowerment and employment in India
India has certainly made substantial progress in recent decades, but the country has a long way to go when it comes to women empowerment. According to a World Bank report, India ranks 120th among 131 nations in women workforce. Improving women empowerment and employment in India are very important steps in achieving a poverty-free country.

Education

India ranks 38th among the 51 developing countries in female literacy rates. Forty eight percent of females in India have attended till 5th standard, out of which only 15 percent of females who attended second standard are literate.

India falls short in female literacy rates in comparison to neighboring states like Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh; fortunately, though, the government is taking significant actions. To provide better education for the women, especially for the tagged “below poverty-level” families, the government has made concession packages on free books, uniforms, clothing and midday meals.

An article from the a 2016 Economic Times article states that “32 educational institutes have been built in villages of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.” Things cannot change in one go, but efforts are being made to increase women literacy rates, which are crucial to women empowerment and employment in India.

Domestic Violence

India is not the only nation with frequent stories of domestic violence — it happens all around the world. The only feature that sets India apart from other countries is that most women in India suffer in silence. According to a study done by ICRW, 52 percent of women have experienced violence in their entire lifetime, and 60 percent of men admitted acting violently against their partners.

The rate of reported incidents have increased in 2013 than 2003 and reporting is higher in areas where women are more educated and vocal. Varsha Sharma, senior police officer in Crime Against Women cell in Delhi said, “it’s a good thing that the number of cases is consistently rising because it means that women are refusing to suffer in silence.”

Employment

The Labor Force participation rate has declined from 42 percent (1993-94) to 31 percent (2011-12). Nearly 20 million Indian women quit work between 2011/12 and May 2014. The predictable reasons for this occurrence have always been patriarchy, marriage, motherhood, late nighttime schedules and security.

The female participation rates have been dropping since 2005, despite having 42 percent of women graduates per graduating cycle. As article from Hindustan Times says, “Women want to work but there are not enough jobs being created.”

According to BBC news, another possible reason for this drop in employment could be the recent expansion of secondary education; that is, women opting to continue studies rather than join work. At the same time, getting a higher education also does not ensure that women will eventually go to work.

Ela Bhatt, Indian Co-operative organizer and activist, states a very important fact: “Employment is empowering. It helps women to develop their identity and when they become organized they build up courage and confidence to talk to the police, the courts, banks or their husbands as equals.”

Gender Equality

India ranks fifth among all the nations in regard to skewed ratio of girls to boys. Gender discrimination begins at a very young age and starts, in fact, right from the beginning because of cultural preference for having a son rather than a daughter.

USAID, India and its partners are promoting programs of gender equality in the fields of food security, clean energy and environment, education, sanitation and health care. The outcome of these efforts was that 2.5 million girls and boys received equal attention and opportunity in classrooms.

India may be significantly behind in growth prospects with two thirds of women not working, so improving women empowerment and employment in India is very important to acquiring a more prosperous nation.

– Shweta Roy
Photo: Flickr

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Women’s Rights in the Middle East: Women Creating Their Own Progress

women’s rights in the Middle East
When discussing women’s rights and equalities in the world, many people will point towards the Middle East as a place behind in the fight. However, while the fight for equality is nowhere near finished in the region, there have been multitudes of improvements via acts and laws that better protect women.

Unfortunately, much of the world seems to forget about these developments and sees the region as still behind, even with hundreds of people currently fight to increase their rights. As misconception runs rampant, it’s more important than ever to highlight the progress made for women’s rights in the Middle East, and to see that such hard work accomplished by many passionate and brave women.

Tunisia

One law passed just last year in 2017 was the “Law on Eliminating Violence Against Women” in Tunisia. The law abolished the clause that allowed rapists to escape punishments if they married their victims. With Tunisia having one of the highest domestic violence rates in the world — 47 percent of women experiencing domestic abuse in their lifetimes — this was a huge win for the country.

Along with this, Tunisia passed a law later in the year to allow Muslim women to marry men belonging to any faith. Before, Muslim women in the country were not allowed to marry non-Muslim men unless the men converted their faith. These are just some of the progress made for women’s rights in the Middle East.

Jordan

In line with Tunisia, Jordan also called to repel their “Marry the Victim” laws, which also allow rapists to escape punishment if they marry their victims. While the law still needs to go through parliament, the talk of repelling it in court last year lead to thunderous cheers from the spectator’s gallery — an action that illustrates how bringing the issue to attention was a large and important step in the right direction.

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has also made progress in women’s rights in the Middle East. In 2017, the country announced that women would be allowed to have physical education in state schools; in addition, the ban on women not being able to drive will be lifted summer of 2018.

While these laws are huge steps in gender equality, there still lies deeply rooted stigma against women.

Saudi Arabia promised to abolish laws regarding its male guardianship system, where state agencies are prohibited from requiring male guardian permission from women (if not required). However, many employers still still ask for these permission slips before hiring women, even when such actions are unnecessary. Along with this, women still need male guardian permission when applying for higher education, marriage and traveling abroad.

Progress With Room to Grow

From equal marriage laws, to protecting sexual assault and domestic abuse victims and overall freedom for women, these laws can play a huge part in ensuring more equality for women in the Middle East.

While work is not finished and women are still persecuted, arrested, harassed and murdered, the women of the Middle East are fighting together to create change. Just like the countless women walking together hand-in-hand across the world, all of these changes will come together to create a stronger and safer world for women.

– Marissa Wandzel
Photo: Flickr

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Canadian Foreign Aid Increasing as It Targets Gender Equality

Canadian Foreign Aid
People in the U.S. generally know little about their northern neighbor, Canada. Its parliamentary system, federal system and until recently, its leader remained unknown. But Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has changed that. The charismatic gentleman held the spotlight, at least for a time, in the press. However, many of his international supporters may find a surprise waiting for them across the border. According to the BBC, Canadian foreign aid spending is ranked last among its peers.

According to the CBC, a year after Prime Minister Trudeau took office in 2015, Canadian foreign aid shrank by 4.4 percent. Now, this could be attributed to the prior government. It is difficult to rearrange an entire government’s budget overnight; it is difficult to do it even in a year. For comparison, the 29 other members of the Development Assistance Committee, a part of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, agreed to a minimum of 0.7 percent of a nation’s gross national income. Canada allocated 0.28 percent, or $3.9 billion. Unfortunately, in 2016, only six countries in OECD met their goal.

There is some hope for an increase in Canadian foreign aid in the future. According to Canadian Financial Minister Bill Morneau, Canada will add $2 billion to its foreign aid budget in 2018. This comes at a time when the prime minister has decided to adopt a feminist international assistance policy. Within the same five years that Canada will increase its foreign aid budget, it will also change and narrow its target. The prime minister set a goal that 95 percent of Canadian foreign aid will be aimed at gender equality. The money will be used to fund educational programs and charities in particular. This increase in funding is the largest in 16 years and has earned praise from charities throughout Canada and from U2 frontman and philanthropist Bono.

Private Sector Partnerships a Part of Canadian Foreign Aid

Nations around the world, especially the U.S. and the U.K., use private sector partnerships to boost economic development in certain areas. These are areas where the private sector partner can also turn a profit. These partnerships are controversial because of the unpredictable social, economic and environmental impacts they have on the local area and population. However, they have also had positive results in many communities.

In Burkina Faso, for example, the material wealth of the people working in the mines improved after Canadian company Iamgold partnered with the Canadian government to open the largest mine in West Africa. Housing was built, utilities improved and schools and medical centers were constructed. Due to Canada’s mining expertise (the country is home to more than 60 percent of the world’s mining companies), the government has decided to focus on mines. Prime Minister Trudeau intends to include these private sector partnerships in his new plan.

It seems that Canada’s new prime minister means well and wants to expand Canada’s positive global impact. It can take many years for a nation to adjust the course of its spending, and Canadian foreign aid is slowly heading in a positive direction. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau used “Canada is back” as a slogan during his campaign in 2015. In 2018, Canada will begin its increase in foreign aid and its new feminist program. It will also host the G7 summit in June. This year is the year that Justin Trudeau can prove Canada is back.

– Nick DeMarco

Photo: Flickr

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How to Stop Poverty: Seven Effective Actions

How to Stop Poverty
Even in the 21st century, nearly half of the world’s population, or three billion people, lives on $2.50 a day, and 80 percent of the world’s population lives on less than $10 a day. Focusing on how to stop poverty is very important, both in the ways that an individual can have an impact and on the wider changes that need to be made to bring an end to poverty.

How to Stop Poverty

  1. Create Awareness
    Social media has become an integral part of daily life, and now is the time to use it as a voice of social good. Sharing links on Facebook, Twitter and other platforms will allow people to learn more about global poverty and will increase the general consciousness of the issue.
  2. Take Action on Your Own
    There are a few simple ways we can help as individuals, such as funding a poor child’s education or by sponsoring a poor family and influencing others to do so. Raising money and donating it to a nonprofit can help as well.
  3. Donate
    Donations can help in so many ways. They do not always have to take the form of money. This can include donating books to a poor child or buying groceries for a poor family for a week to help fight hunger. Donating old clothes, furniture and toiletries can also help improve the well-being of the poor.
  4. Eliminate Gender Inequality
    With two-thirds of the world’s illiterate being female, the ratio of boys and girls should be made equal in primary, secondary and tertiary education. Girls that attend school are less likely to get married before age 18, thus decreasing child marriage rates by 64 percent worldwide. Similarly, literate women are less likely to spread diseases like HIV/AIDS due to a better knowledge of disease transmission, which helps to accelerate poverty reduction in the long run.
  5. Create Jobs Worldwide
    According to the International Labour Organization, 197 million people are without work worldwide. More employment options in a country mean more ways of how to stop poverty. To increase employment, non-literate people can be taught a few skills to make them employable.
  6. Increase Access to Proper Sanitation and Clean Water
    Access to clean water and sanitation directly affects health and education. Currently, 800 million people live without access to safe water and 2.5 billion live without adequate sanitation. Dirty bathrooms keep girls from attending schools, thus stopping them from receiving an education. Lack of clean water spreads diseases like diarrhea and cholera, which take the lives of more than one million children each year.
  7. Educate Everyone
    Education helps increase individual earnings for every member of a family. UNESCO points out that basic reading skills can lift 171 million people out of extreme poverty, ultimately reducing the world’s total poverty by 12 percent. UNESCO also mentions there are currently about one billion illiterate adults in the world.

Above are a few solutions about how to stop poverty, but first, it is important to understand the roots of the problems that cause poverty. Since different countries have different reasons for poverty, there will never be a single solution for all. However, these seven actions can do a lot to alleviate poverty anywhere.

– Shweta Roy

Photo: Flickr

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Organizations Helping Female News Anchors in the Middle East

news anchors in the middle east
Increasing support for women who experience suppression from gender inequality in many aspects of society has been a focus of many aid organizations and support groups across the globe. According to USAID, “More than half a billion women have joined the world’s work force over the past 30 years, and they make up 40 percent of the agriculture labor force.”

Although some of these groups and organizations focus on specific issues, gender equality aid has been instrumental in reducing the gender equality gap that suppress so many women.

News and Aid Organizations

Various programs (not limited to those helping news anchors in the Middle East) have been extremely important in supporting young women as well as promoting education. In 2016, approximately $253 million in gender equality aid was used to assist Afghanistan with leveling the gender equality gap that limited capable women.

In addition to aid organizations, news organizations that support women help reduce the gender equality gap as well as confront the numerous challenges faced by female reporters.

Challenges for Women in the Workplace

Debroah Amos, a reporter for ABC 2000, discussed some of the difficulties she faced as a reporter and news anchor in the Middle East:

“I faced a lot of challenges in my work: lack of training on how to deal with violence during field coverage, we work without personal protective equipment. Also, the Egyptian journalism syndicate didn’t give us legal protection. Also for me as a female, it was hard to deal with some Salafis during their demonstrations, as they believe it’s not permitted to talk with women,” she said.

News organizations promoting successful female newscasters and aid organizations supporting women via global funding projects is a powerful and influential combination. As a result of such efforts, women and news anchors in the Middle East are beginning to see changes in their work opportunities. As women advocate for themselves and use these resources to their advantage, true and revolutionary change continues to materialize.

Five News Organizations Supporting Female News Anchors in the Middle East

  1. ZANTV: The first female news station in Afghanistan gives women interested in news a chance to exercise their reporting skills and work in a field they are interested in.
  2. Al JAZEERA: This organization focuses on news in the Middle East, U.S. and Canada. The organization welcomes female reporters to cover topics on the ground.
  3. AL MONITOR: “The Pulse of the Middle East”– This news organization covers topics in Egypt, The Gulf, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, North Africa, Palestine, Syria and Turkey.
  4. TIME: The organization covers political topics across the world. One woman, identified by Al Monitor as one of “16 Women Journalists to Watch in the Middle East,” reports for TIME as well as several other publications about numerous topics in the Middle East.
  5. NPR: Debroah Amos reported on several topics in the Middle East and won a group award in 2004 for coverage in Iraq.

There are several organizations and programs across the world working to reduce the gender inequality gap. A few of these include USAID, Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy, The “Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Strategy” in Australia, The Global Fund for Women and the National Organization for Women. In addition to these organizations, the International Women’s Media Fund (IWMF) also recognizes influential women in media.

With such powerful advocates in their corner, the push for increased gender equity and the presence of female news anchors in the Middle East is a feasible, opportunistic and exemplary reality.

– Gabriella Evans

Photo: Flickr

Myna Mahila Foundation: Menstruation in Mumbai is Not Shameful

Menstruation in Mumbai
Seventy-five percent of women in India buy sanitary napkins in a brown paper bag or wrapped up in paper because they feel immense shame related to menstruation. This is especially common in more urban areas like Delhi and Mumbai. There is a clear stigma surrounding menstruation in Mumbai, which greatly increases health risks because women are not taking care of their bodies as they should be.

Whether over fear of social discrimination or other reasons, many women change their attitudes and behaviors during menstruation. For example, nearly 50 percent of respondents to a survey by Quartz Media reported that they do not share a bed with their significant other during their periods. Other actions include isolating themselves in their bedroom, avoiding touching food due to a fear of contamination and using old rags rather than sanitary napkins so that shopkeepers do not judge them.

Recent movements have begun in order to destroy this stigma surrounding menstruation in Mumbai and throughout India. Myna Mahila Foundation is an organization that is attempting to make menstruation a less shameful topic.

In 2015, a college student studying at Duke University discovered how she would contribute to this movement. While volunteering in the slums of India, Suhani Jalota looked at the women around her and came to a realization. Jalota recognized that, in a place where menstruation was considered impure, the solution was to talk about empowerment.

With support from her father, Jalota launched the Myna Mahila Foundation in order to employ poor women in Mumbai. She wanted to train the organization’s employees to be entrepreneurs who could create their own products for income. These products just happened to be sanitary products for menstruation and maternity.

Jalota wanted to teach women how to be comfortable talking about their bodies and the natural bodily function of menstruation. She began by employing four women, training them to feel comfortable describing how pads work and then selling them door-to-door.

A few years later, the Myna Mahila Foundation now employs close to 20 women, has sold over 20,000 pads and has over 1,000 loyal customers. The dedicated team, aside from making and selling menstrual and maternity products, also holds workshops and camps to educate women and foster leadership development throughout the community in Mumbai. Its focus on generating empowerment for women has certainly paid off.

One testimonial cited on the foundation’s website says “Before I joined Myna Mahila Foundation, I would be scared to even leave my house to go to the market. But the women I have met here have changed my life – they help me realize my self-confidence and stand by me when I need help. I never want to go back home at the end of the day, as I learn I can only hope that we have many more Myna Mahila in the time to come!”

Jalota’s inspirational goal came true because of her determination to make a change and the support she has received from her family and community. By working together, they are challenging the stigma surrounding menstruation in Mumbai and giving women the confidence they need to chase down their own dreams just like Jalota has.

– Caysi Simpson

Photo: Google

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A Look Into How Gender Inequality Hurts Countries

How Gender Inequality Hurts Countries
From religion to social norms, there are many different reasons why gender inequality and the suppression of women’s voices occurs in various communities; however, none of these reasons account for how gender inequality hurts countries financially, socially and politically.

According to the World Economic Forum’s 2017 Global Gender Gap Report, the gender gap in countries across the world has risen to 32 percent — a figure up one percent from last year’s 31 percent. This trend means that the average economic gap between women and men, whether in personal finances or in political representation and commerce, generally results in a substantial difference in the amount of money and support women receive in their communities.

Women in Yemen

For instance, Yemen was ranked the worst country for gender equality since 2006, not only because it’s economic stability is practically nonexistent, but also because they possess significant education issues. Yemen has an overall literacy rate of 96 percent among males, however their female literacy rate of 76 percent leaves a gap that causes a good portion of the female disenfranchisement in the region.

For these women, the lack of educational sustainability is one of the biggest inhibitors of their economic success. It’s evident how gender inequality hurts countries such as Yemen because without academic access and the capability to further learning, women are extremely inhibited in their opportunities for economic independence.

Women and Education

According to a study published by Frontiers in Psychology Journal, women in academic situations have a higher chance of success than men do. When put in learning groups, girls tended to be more capable of task-accomplishing, self-regulation and focusing by deciding on a goal and completing it. Males, on the other hand, tended to focus on avoidance activities in order to make the task seem less daunting.

The female’s method is much more successful in most academic and work-related situations, and is a strong indicator of a woman’s capability in educational settings and the workplace; however, in countries such as Yemen where the academic retention rate is much lower for females, the opportunity to demonstrate these self-regulation skills becomes short-changed when a woman drops out of education. 

Social Norms

The reason for dropout rates, and another example of how gender inequality hurts countries in Yemen, refers mainly to the social norms placed on women by their community: most women are expected to be educated enough to read and write, and once this criteria is met, they are taken back to their home to prepare for the household duties that will serve as their main vocation upon marriage and for the rest of their lives. An article published by the World Bank states that even one more year of schooling could benefit a woman’s health, safety and decrease the amount of child marriages in countries across the world.

For places like Yemen, which tend to lean heavily on societal norms to dictate their country’s success, gender inequality hurts the country’s economic stability, limits growth for communities and families and causes women to be more likely to be subjugated to child marriages, dangerously young pregnancies and a more rapid spread of STIs such as HIV/AIDS. Not only does this display exactly how gender inequality hurts countries, it also shows how gender inequality hurts the women who lack financial and social freedoms. 

The process made thus far incites hope that countries’ across the globe will continue to work on solutions to stop gender inequality, once and for all.

– Molly Atchison

Photo: Flickr

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Improving Women’s Empowerment in Zimbabwe

Improving Women's Empowerment in ZimbabweGlobal efforts to achieve gender equality have made an impact on long-standing notions of male dominance in many countries. This change can be seen throughout the increased social and economic opportunities available to women around the world. The overwhelming evidence from research continues to indicate that gender equality is necessary for ensuring sustainable development. Thus, improving women’s empowerment in Zimbabwe is key to having a successful future.

The United Nations established 17 goals under its initiative known as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A major tenet of the SDGs is to promote gender equality. In Zimbabwe, the U.N. has consolidated its efforts to promote women’s and girls’ empowerment through the establishment and implementation of laws, policies and frameworks.

While a push for greater women’s empowerment in Zimbabwe has been codified into law, the practice is oftentimes overshadowed by the actions of traditional society. Despite setbacks such as gender-based violence and limited financial opportunities, a couple of key steps in women’s empowerment have been made in Zimbabwe.

Supporting Women in Leadership

According to the U.N., women’s representation in politics and decision-making positions in Zimbabwe is still below those benchmarked in the SDGs. The UNDP, in collaboration with U.N. Women, held the Zimbabwe Gender Commission and the Women Parliamentary Caucus in support of a High-Level Political Dialogue regarding the upcoming 2018 elections.

Promoting Financial Independence

In 2012, the first Zimbabwe Market Fair was held in its second-largest city, Bulawayo. This two-day fair focused on empowering women and youth and equipped the 134 participants with “pre- and post-market fair training aimed at enhancing their capacity to exhibit and interact with customers.” This targeted instruction not only benefited women but caused a ripple effect on families, communities and the country as a whole.

There is still progress to be made in regards to women’s empowerment in Zimbabwe, but continued efforts through programs and dialogue are paving the way to a more gender-equal future.

– Belén Loza

Photo: Flickr

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Women’s Empowerment in Panama Benefits All


In 2015, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) reported that access to basic rights such as health, education and employment was becoming increasingly difficult for women in the country of Panama. UNDP representative Martin Santiago lamented that the current climate was creating a “Panama for men and not for women.” Women’s empowerment in Panama is ultimately about making sure that all of Panama’s citizens have the same opportunities to thrive. It is important to remember that a society cannot truly move forward unless it empowers all its citizens.

The idea that women’s empowerment is good for everyone within a society became quickly apparent in a U.N. Women water management program. The program set out to increase access to drinking water for Panama’s indigenous population.

The indigenous population in Panama has the lowest standard of living of any group in the country. Ninety-six percent of Panama’s indigenous citizens live in poverty and accessing clean drinking water is extremely difficult.

The U.N. Women program found that women in these indigenous groups had more relation to water than the men did, but the women were treated like second-class citizens in many ways. By working toward women’s empowerment in Panama, they could also increase access to clean drinking water.

The program sought to foster greater gender equality within the Ngäbe Bugle people by increasing women’s community involvement and access to education and by instilling the idea that women and men are equal members of society. The program had very successful results: 99 percent of the Ngäbe Bugle people no longer have problems accessing clean water and there has been a significant decrease in illnesses that result from unsanitary water usage.

The program also led to a more equitable society. The Ngäbe Bugle women now play a more significant role in their community. They are able to start their own economic activities and more women are being elected to leadership positions.

U.N. Women has pledged to continue to work toward women’s empowerment in Panama. The organization states that its goal is to promote the rights of women and girls by closing gender gaps in the labor force, eradicating violence against women and ensuring that women play an equal role in Panama’s development.

With the continued work of this organization and many others, women’s empowerment in Panama will continue to improve and create a Panama not just for men, but for everyone.

– Aaron Childree

Photo: Flickr