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Initiatives that Empower Girls’ Education in India

Girls’ Education in India
Only one in three girls in India complete secondary school. High-quality girls’ education is crucial in equipping girls with the right skills for equal job opportunities to boys and in escaping generational poverty. When women can earn money, they are also able to contribute back to their community. Although poverty rates in 2023 have fallen to around 5%, inequality has risen in India. Gender disparities including in literacy and education have resulted in poverty rates for women to be 21%, compared to 15% for men. Therefore, these initiatives focused on girls’ education in India have been significant in reducing poverty and improving India’s overall economy.

Nearly one in four girls in India are in a marriage or union before their 18th birthday, primarily due to their families’ financial struggles and deep-rooted social norms. Early and child marriages are highly prevalent in Indian societies, disproportionately impacting girls and their education as their priorities change to domestic duties. A lack of feminine hygiene systems in schools and parent’s awareness about the importance of girl’s education, also challenge girls’ education in India. After voicing these concerns, initiatives have been implemented to begin to overcome these challenges and empower girls’ education in India.

UNICEF and Gender Equality

UNICEF India’s 2018-2022 initiative aims to improve India’s overall gender equality. Many girls in particular drop out of school early because of marriage. Consequently, adult literacy in India is lower among women than men. UNICEF’s initiatives have been productive on a national and district level, having supported large government programs in reducing child marriage and Panchayats in becoming “child marriage free.”

For example, by making it easier to report a child’s marriage to the authorities and promoting girls’ education rather than marriage. It is more likely for girls to stay in education when they postpone marriage beyond the legal age, which results in a more educated and empowered population. Women’s literacy levels are also important for their health and their ability to access help in case of domestic abuse.

UNICEF advocates for a more gender-responsive approach to the curriculum. This includes changing the language and images in textbooks to not perpetuate gender stereotypes and encouraging more women to pursue STEM subjects. Facilitating girls’ and boys’ clubs- those who are out of school and most vulnerable can safely continue their learning. UNICEF also encourages girls to participate in sports and activities such as photography.

The WASH program improved schools’ infrastructure and girls’ access to menstrual hygiene management. For example, under law, it is now mandatory for schools to provide well-equipped, separate gendered bathrooms.

Government Schemes

Launched in 2015, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) aims to address gender inequality by educating locals about the importance of investing in girl’s education. By openly challenging the social norm of girls’ education, it makes social policies that tackle gender inequality more effective. For example, introducing families to girls’ scholarships at university. Through the program, local data about girls’ education could also be analyzed, including which areas girls were most vulnerable to dropping out of school and identifying where extra support is needed to bridge India’s gender educational gap.

Looking Ahead

Although the gender gap in India’s education remains, its government and UNICEF initiatives have been foundational in India’s progress toward greater quality and access to girls’ education. Continuing to highlight and celebrate the benefits of empowering girls’ education could lead to greater social policy changes that reduce gender inequality as well as overall poverty in India.

– Liling Zhang

Liling is based in Manchester, UK and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pixabay

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Sex Trafficking in Bangladesh

Sex Trafficking in BangladeshResearch from 2016 estimated that between 10,000 and 20,000 women and children were trafficked for sex in Bangladesh. Victims were either exploited within the country or trafficked to other parts of South Asia and the Middle East. The Bangladeshi government has made limited progress in combating trafficking.

Sex Trafficking in Bangladesh

Bangladesh is a South Asian country bordered by India, Myanmar and the Bay of Bengal. It is a densely populated country with a population of roughly 174 million people. Poverty in Bangladesh stands at a rate of 18.7%, with women suffering the most. In 2022, Concern Worldwide reported that the unemployment rate for women in Bangladesh was double that of men, with 6.7% of women unemployed compared to 3.3% of men. Despite this disparity, Bangladesh ranked among the top South Asian countries advancing toward gender equality.

One form of work women in Bangladesh can find rather easily and often involuntarily is sex work. Research from 2016 conducted by Asad Islam and Russell Smyth suggests that there are currently between 150,000 and 200,000 female sex workers in Bangladesh. Many of them started working as teenagers. In a poll conducted by the pair, 283 sex workers were interviewed and less than 10% reported entering sex work by choice. Many of them were driven into the profession due to poverty in Bangladesh. With 14 official brothels and 18 red-light districts, if the survey is representative of the broader population, it suggests a significant number of women and children are subjected to forced sexual labor.

Bangladesh’s Red-Light Districts

Daulatdia is one of Bangladesh’s largest brothels, resembling the size of a village. It houses more than 2,000 sex workers in 2,300 single-story rooms and serves nearly 3,000 customers daily. Children are also exposed to this environment, with almost 300 living in the brothel with their mothers. Across Bangladesh, close to 20,000 children reside in brothels and red-light districts, many of whom are groomed to take on the same roles as their mothers eventually. The conditions in Bangladesh’s brothels and red-light districts are dire. The Guardian reported that poverty is rampant in these areas. In the article “The Living Hell of Young Girls Living in Bangladesh’s Brothels,” one woman shared her experience of living in a room with four other girls, where only small sheets separated them from one another.

Efforts and Aid

The United States Department of State has reported that Bangladesh remains lax in its efforts to eliminate trafficking. However, efforts to combat the issue have increased, particularly in law enforcement. Despite these efforts, the involvement of police in trafficking has not been adequately addressed. Convictions and prosecutions of traffickers increased, but most of the time, the courts would sentence offenders to fines instead of jail time. This has resulted in a weakened deterrence from the crime, thus allowing it to continue. Protection of victims also remains insufficient, housing and shelter services remain unstable and government aid to victims remains low.

There are positive developments, particularly in the attitude toward girls’ education. According to the Asian Development Bank, in 2004, an equal number of girls and boys were enrolled in primary school. By 2022, it was reported that 77% of girls were enrolled in school. Another positive news is that in September 2024, the U.S. voted to provide Bangladesh with $202 million in aid. This funding is part of the U.S.’s ongoing support for the Rohingya refugee crisis and efforts to uplift the country and alleviate poverty in Bangladesh.

Final Remark

Efforts to stop sex trafficking in Bangladesh are increasing. According to the United Nations (U.N.), in 2006, the poverty rate in Bangladesh stood at 41.5%; the number has significantly decreased to just 18.7% in 2022. Poverty in Bangladesh has been on the decline in the last 20 years. The trend only continues.

– Maya Renfro

Maya is based in Chicago, IL, USA and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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The Enough Project: Easing Poverty in DRC

The Enough ProjectFor more than 30 years the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have endured the perpetual reverberations resulting from ongoing economic and political conflict. The obstructive effects of conflict on the Congolese people continue to attract the attention of multiple organizations, including the Enough Project. Armies and rebels continue to use violence to control natural resources and have repressed independent voices to maintain financial and physical power. Indeed, 75% of the people live in poverty, compounded by “the second largest internally displaced people’s crisis in Africa.” is having devastating effects.

Natural Resources Creating Conflict

The DRC is rich in natural resources. Yet its wealth has not benefited local communities. Children as young as 11 work in mines or work as child soldiers without pay. Congolese families face cycles of violence and challenges that have led to insecurity and poverty.

The trade of the “conflict minerals” (3TG) cobalt, coltan and tantalum, continues to fuel the armed civil conflict in the DRC. Coltan, (67% of the world’s supply) is the source of tantalum. Cobalt (70% of the world’s supply) is essential to manufacture smartphones.  Combined, tantalum and cobalt are used to power batteries.

In addition, the DRC has one of the largest reserves of potential wealth, including 200 million acres of cultivable land. Combined, the DRC’s natural resources total more than $24 trillion worth of minerals.

The World Food Program (WFP) identifies key drivers or motivators of food insecurity and their complex relationship with conflict and economic shocks.

Conflict minerals are a natural resource that has motivated conflict and desperation in the DRC. While the WFP provides emergency food assistance to conflict-affected areas of Eastern DRC, the Enough Project advocates from a different position.

The Enough Project

Founded in 2007, the Enough Project, a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C. has advocated civilian protection strategies and supported peace in Eastern Congo. In 2008, the Enough Project broadened its strategies. To upgrade the Enough Project’s effectiveness, it formed the Raise Hope for Congo campaign. The campaign aims to educate activists to help alleviate conflicts in Eastern Congo.

In 2016, the Enough Project adopted another campaign, Sentry, to address the increase of civil conflicts and an unyielding situation of food insecurity.  Sentry’s mission is to “produce hard-hitting investigative reports and dossiers on individuals and entities connected to grand corruption and violence.”

Addressing the DRC’s situation of malnutrition, illness, and poverty is a primary concern. Confronting the DRC’s volatile civil conflicts, the pressing situation of poverty and food insecurity can benefit the people of the DRC.  “The conflict, which has persisted in the east of the DRC for almost 30 years, and is the deadliest since the Second World War, is mainly economic,” explains Nobel Laureate Denis Mukwege. The conflict displaced more than 10 million people, with plenty of them being forcibly recruited into armed groups or killed.

Looking to the Future of the DRC

The children of the DRC are its future.  Nearly half of the population of the DRC is under the age of 15. Working in mines or serving as soldiers instead of attending school is not a well-grounded path for any child. Of the 30,000 fighters involved in the ongoing conflicts, one-third are children. The Congolese children are the most vulnerable population. They are witnesses and forced participants.

The threat of conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is immediate. The sale of conflict minerals can be faulted for the existing high levels of food insecurity. The primary concern of the Enough Project has been to liberate government officials and families of the DRC. These actions have enabled them to address the immediate concerns of “malnutrition, illness and poor education that are making the DRC one of the hardest places on earth to raise a family.”

– Pamela Fenton

Pamela is based in Wall Township, NJ, USA and focuses on Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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5 Charities Operating in Kashmir

Charities Operating in Kashmir
Kashmir often dubbed as ‘heaven on earth’ is a region that is equally beautiful as it is troubled. It has suffered a long history of geopolitical strife, changing weather patterns and natural disasters and the yet unsolvable question of its autonomy still lingers on most lips. The breathtaking landscape is split into areas that India administers on one side of the border and Pakistan on the other, with China also holding stake. Life in Kashmir is not without daily challenges and human rights violations in the region are frequent. The average person struggles to feed his family and children, unemployment rate is high and curfews and martial law is common. 

For a region witnessing many upheavals, it is the work of charitable organizations that bring relief and aid in times of great hardship. There are many charities operating in Kashmir that are doing tremendous work to combat the daily struggles faced by the Kashmiri people and to help alleviate some of the difficulties that are widespread in the land. Here are five charities operating in Kashmir.

Unite 4 Humanity

This charity operates on both sides of the border working hard to bring relief to as many parts of the divided region. It recognizes that 27% of the Kashmiri population is living under the poverty line and the rural areas are the ones most affected with the figure rising to 54%. Unite 4 Humanity has implemented many initiatives since 2012. The Borgen Project reached out to the organization which elaborated on its work citing that it has helped many communities in Kashmir. It mentioned that it has sent food packages to 1,454 families, and provided hot meals to 23,700 people and winter packages for 230 children. It is making sure donations reach the most disadvantaged of the population (orphans, widows and disabled).

Helping Hand for Relief and Development

Helping Hand for Relief and Development (HHRD) is another organization operating on either side of the line of control (LOC). It works in tandem with humanitarian teams on the ground in Jammu Kashmir and Azad Kashmir to ensure that the lives of the most vulnerable have protection. It has many different programs such as its seasonal Winter Relief which has been delivered to 336 beneficiaries and Global Qurbani with 29,890 beneficiaries. This charity operating in Kashmir also serves projects such as Skills Development and Medical In-Kind Gifts programmes that aim to reach the most affected, especially children and the elderly. In 2014, when the disastrous floods wrecked the region, HHRD provided instant relief assistance and aid to ensure as many people as possible received support. It continues to work for the displaced people on the ground.

Muslim Hands

Muslim Hands is a notable charity that has been carrying out tremendous work in Kashmir since 1994. Its efforts in the area have spanned more than 25 years. In just 2022 alone, the organization was able to ensure that emergency relief, food parcels and water provisions reached more than 169,000 people. Additionally, the charity has been able to provide medical supplies and treatment to 400,000 people, education to 50,000 children and necessary assistance and support to nearly 3,700 orphans.

CHINAR Kashmir

CHINAR Kashmir is a nonprofit organization that is working to improve the lives of the marginalized Kashmiri people through its advanced projects focusing on health care, education, empowerment and various kinds of relief work. The organization’s work concentrates on gender inequality, quality of education, youth and women empowerment. This also mirrors the objectives of the United Nations’ SDGs which focus on combating such global challenges. CHINAR Kashmir has been able to support 2,500 students and more than 1,000 women and families through its various programs such as the Remote Child Sponsorship Programme (RCSP) and Skills Enhancement and Entrepreneurship Development (SEED).

Orphans in Need

Orphans in Need has been operating in Kashmir for more than a decade. It emphasizes the lasting and devastating effect the many catastrophes have had on the children of Kashmir due to which approximately 215,000 children have lost a parent. The work of this organization is integral as it aims to support and provide relief to orphans in need of necessities and focuses on creating an avenue in which vulnerable children can live a normal life. The organization supplies deprived orphanages with resources and sponsorships to ensure children have the provisions they need. Just last year in 2023, the organization’s Qurbani donations fed thousands of orphans, widows and families.

Looking Ahead

While the issues prevailing in Kashmir are vast, the noteworthy and incredible work that many charities are doing is no small feat. These charities operating in Kashmir and others alike are committed to making a difference to the region.

– Aleena Shahid

Aleena is based in Bradford, UK and focuses on Good News and Celebs for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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3 Ways Mothers Can Be Lifted Out of Poverty

MothersPoverty disproportionately affects women, particularly mothers. For instance, in 2017, 20% of women in the United Kingdom (U.K.) were living in poverty compared to 18% of men. Additionally, 90% of single mothers experience poverty. While the proportion of men facing poverty has decreased in recent years, the rate for women has remained stalled. Here are some of the ways mothers can be lifted out of poverty:

Better Provision for the Essential Living Costs

Governments can address poverty by improving support for essential living costs faced by families. By covering expenses for heating and electricity through targeted schemes for the most vulnerable, working families can make fewer sacrifices. Such programs would eliminate the difficulty of buying groceries and maintaining a warm home. This support would enable families to focus more on spending quality time with their children and provide mothers with much-needed respite.

Child Care Provisions

Child care provisions also provide a hopeful potential solution. High child care costs act as a key barrier for parents who work. Fees are an additional financial factor that particularly impacts lower-income parents during school holidays. Suppose countries can implement better universal child care provisions. In that case, the gap between accessibility for low- and high-income parents can be closed. Parents can focus on work and career progression, leading to better wages for their families. Children can interact with other children and develop their creativity and imagination. Creating these schemes will, therefore, benefit both the parents and the children. 

Turning to a success story, Sweden works as a model for other countries, providing hope that these solutions are attainable when put into practice. The “income packaging” approach to the welfare state adopted in Scandinavian countries promotes female involvement in the world of work. By providing children’s allowances, mothers can focus on work rather than entirely on ensuring that child care measures are in place. This enables greater career progression and mothers to work more hours rather than being confined to part-time roles due to child care commitments. 

Income Transfers and Support for Parents in Employment

Implementing schemes with more generous income transfers and support for working parents has effectively reduced poverty. In countries like the U.K., where social transfer systems are limited, support for vulnerable working families falls short, resulting in higher poverty rates. In contrast, Scandinavian countries provide more comprehensive support for single mothers. This targeted approach ensures that the assistance is more effective and beneficial. Additionally, the direct benefits can be assessed more efficiently, allowing for easier adjustments and improvements as needed.

Final Remark

The changes required to lift mothers and their children out of poverty are achievable. With a global commitment to supporting this group, effective tax redistribution and improved support schemes can help break the cycle of poverty. By implementing these measures, future generations of families can be lifted out of poverty and provided with greater opportunities for a better life.

   – Sarah Littleton

Sarah Littleton is based in London, U.K. and focuses on Good News, Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pexels

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Female Starvation in Gaza

Female starvation in GazaThe October 2023 attack by Hamas has left irreversible damage on the whole city of Gaza. Every hour, two mothers are killed and nearly 1 million more have been left to live amongst the rubble without safe shelter and without enough food or clean water to survive. Food insecurity and starvation affect women in Gaza in multiple ways. “U.N. Women estimates that at least 557,000 women in Gaza are facing severe food insecurity, and find themselves facing old and new gender-based vulnerabilities.”

Female Starvation in Gaza

For the sick and injured, for pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers, there is virtually no medical help left. Not only is there no medical help left, but breastfeeding mothers are using 25% of their body’s energy just by feeding their children, in comparison the brain only uses 20%. Therefore, mothers especially are starving and desperately fighting to also keep their children alive. “The situation is particularly concerning for mothers and adult women, who often prioritize feeding others over themselves and report greater difficulty accessing food compared to men, leading many to skip meals or reduce their intake to ensure their children are fed,” the U.N. reports.

“Seven out of 10 women interviewed by U.N. Women reported weight loss in the last 30 days, and more than half experience frequent dizziness.” This statistic truly represents the female starvation in Gaza. “I prefer to give the children food first. Then as a mother, I might not eat so I can feed my children. That’s just how life is now. That’s motherhood,” a mother displaced to Rafah, southern Gaza said.

WFP and Action Against Hunger

The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that it can only meet 20% of its monthly targets, leaving thousands of families at risk of starvation. This 80% is consistently being shown, especially when one in five pregnant women in a central Gaza clinic struggle with malnourishment. Despite high demands, only a small percentage of people receive help. The WFP is assisting more than 1 million people a month in Gaza due to 96% of the population in the city of Gaza being in a crisis level of hunger or worse.

In Gaza, Action Against Hunger has supported more than 200,000 women and girls through their water, sanitation and hygiene services, alongside food baskets, according to its website. In particular, it has a program to “prevent malnutrition among pregnant and breastfeeding mothers and children under 5 years old.”

WEFAQ

Wefaq Society for Women and Child Care, a local women’s organization, is managing to maintain help and support through the hazardous living conditions that are so very prominent in Gaza today. It provides hot meals through the community kitchen to help reduce the rates of hunger within the female population. Winter clothes and accessories are provided alongside blankets and mattresses for comfort and warmth. Hygiene kits, and other essential items like menstrual supplies, milk and nappies for babies. WEFAQ also provides counseling to help aid and rebuild women’s confidence in themselves and their communities.

The female starvation situation in Gaza is very obviously going to be an ongoing issue but through the support of multiple organizations like AAH and WEFAQ, women will finally get the support they truly need.

– Sadie Virgin

Sadie is based in Newport, Wales, UK and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Gender Inequality: A Pop-Up Restaurant in Afghanistan

Gender Inequality: A Pop-Up Restaurant in AfghanistanBanowan-e-Afghan is a pop-up restaurant in Afghanistan that opened in 2023.  A couple of women comfortably lounge across the wooden tables; some reading books, listening to music, or, conversing with others. Suddenly, a tantalizing aroma disseminates across the atmosphere. A cordial woman wearing a hijab and white apron walks over and places a symphony of flavors in front of the seated women. These women enjoy the delight while finally finding a special community of safety, security and opportunity.

Amidst a bustling street in Northwestern Kabul, a small intimate sanctuary is present. From mantoos (lamb-filled dumplings) to bolani (vegetable-stuffed flatbread) this welcoming Afghani abode serves a wide range of traditional and Western foods. However, this restaurant is not your ordinary dine-in. Instead, it is the result of the first step taken by a courageous woman toward a greater national vision.

Gender Inequality in Afghanistan

Gender inequality has been a persistent and perennial issue in Afghanistan. In 2021, despite prior positive efforts against this concern, all progress was nullified due to the Taliban’s inception. The Taliban has issued 80 edicts, including 54 contradicting women’s rights and freedom. Additionally, women were banned from visiting parks, gyms, public bathing houses and constrained girls’ education beyond the sixth grade.

To prevent further Taliban abuse, these Afghani women were forced into surveillance, assault, arbitrary detention, torture and exile. As a result of these restrictions and more, it has been a norm for women to not leave their homes. Women harassment is ubiquitous and even a simple errand or stroll down the street can put a woman in danger. On top of that, in rural Afghanistan, society forbids women from stepping out of the house without a mahram (a male relative by blood).

Societal restrictions also limit women’s job opportunities, prohibiting them from working in NGOs or government jobs. The women’s only chance of employment is in the private sector, but many women are hesitant to do this because of the risk it puts them in. Nonetheless, Samira Muhammadi believes in utilizing this opportunity to provide hope for a more women-friendly future.

By Women, For Women

Muhammadi, the owner of this unique pop-up restaurant in Afghanistan, launched it with a mission to provide women with a safer, more trustworthy and serene haven. In a typical Afghani restaurant, there is a separate family section for only women accompanied by male relatives. Despite this, male threats still endanger women.

Therefore, this rare pop-up restaurant addresses this widespread caveat. For starters, the restaurant is exclusively by women, for women. In other words, all the employees and customers are only women. This allows both the employees and the customers to feel more secure and surrounded by people going through similar circumstances. Instead, these women reclaim their true authentic selves, freely choose their attire and recultivate their public life which has been unethically stripped from them. With this substantial solution, powerful relationships are developed over mouth-watering meals in an elevated state of joy and laughter.

Empowerment Through Employment

In addition, this pop-up restaurant directly supports women facing poverty in Afghanistan. It provides unprivileged women with job and work opportunities in a field that adheres to their talents. The workforce of this restaurant consists solely of women taking refuge at a local women’s shelter, the Afghan Women Skills Development Center (AWSDC). Furthermore, many women living on the streets and in substandard living conditions have approached Muhammadi to work at her restaurant. Most of these women tend to be widows or the sole breadwinner in their families, making them desperate for money as they are the primary source of income. Ultimately, this restaurant provides impoverished women a ticket out of financial deprivation and can provide food and shelter for their families.

Today, the restaurant has hired more than 17 employees including 10 chefs and 7 waitresses. Most of the employees are around the age of 20, the youngest being 13 and the oldest being 40 years. However, all of these employees have gone through rough hardships and dreadful turmoil such as family violence, domestic abuse, parental drug addiction and more. Working at this restaurant allows them a second chance to positively invigorate their lives.

Future Plans

As this pop-up restaurant flourishes and evolves, Muhammadi plans to provide more job opportunities to unfortunate women, as well as more adequate salaries. She also wants to expand the size of the restaurant, to host mini-exhibitions for women to display handicrafts like clothes or jewelry for customers to purchase.

Inspired by her own experience and odyssey, Muhumadi wants to continue to enhance women’s lives in Afghanistan. “I thought these vulnerable women should have a source of income,“ Muhammadi says.

– Sai Sidharth Kanyaboena
Photo: Unsplash

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Why Providing Accessible Childcare Services Is the Smart Thing to Do

Accessible childcareAccessible childcare is a global challenge, with nearly 350 million children below primary school age lacking the necessary support. This represents over 40% of children in this age group worldwide, highlighting the urgent need for investment in childcare.

Research and Initiatives

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in cooperation with the World Bank, launched an initiative Invest in Childcare. USAID alone pledged $50 million to support the initiative. This childcare incentive fund works with governments to provide support in creating childcare programs and improving policies. Subsequently, the initiative seeks to gather more accurate data on childcare development and its effects on economic growth.

The World Bank has already supported many countries, including Senegal, Liberia, Burkina Faso and Mongolia, through the development of country-specific programs. These encompass the creation of mobile preschools for rural areas in Mongolia which have already benefited more than 8,500 of the country’s most remote children, the enrollment of thousands of children in preschools in Senegal and the financing of early childhood schools’ construction in Liberia.

Whether government-sponsored, NGO-supported or community-grown, initiatives developing and liberalizing early childcare are a necessity. Throughout the world, NGOs of diverse sizes and recognition seek to improve childcare. The most prominent include UNICEF and Save the Children, but many other organizations on the ground make efforts to provide help specifically tailored to their community. The Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) in India, for example, has created childcare cooperatives in an attempt to support women working in agriculture or independently in local cooperatives.

These organizations are often informal and face challenges in obtaining funding and accessing training and professional development. This struggle highlights a need for formalization, which could enable the affected organizations to unlock more investments and growth.

Childcare Closely Affects Gender Equality

Though a lack of accessible childcare hinders an entire society, data shows that women are the first to be affected and quit the labor force. World Bank data for Indonesia in 2021 revealed that 40% of women quit employment after childbirth and marriage. Another 2022 report showed that 73% of low-income respondents partaking in a survey in Bangladesh stayed at home to care for their children instead of working, and in 2018, a study “found that having a child under five years of age reduced a Sri Lankan woman’s participation in the labor force by 7.4%.” In poorer countries, when mothers cannot provide care for these children, an older sibling usually assumes responsibility. And more often than not, this older sibling is a girl. She may consequently neglect or forgo her chance at an education, which builds up stark gender inequalities for the next generation.

Improving the Economy and Children’s Health

On the other hand, the Eurasia Group has found that providing accessible childcare for women could add $3 trillion to the $45.8 trillion currently generated by women in the global economy each year. According to the Gates Foundation, this would be achieved through the creation of 43 million jobs globally. This would broaden opportunities for women, boosting economic growth and giving countries an opportunity to reclaim a productive segment of their labor force.

World Bank data has also shown that accessible childcare improved women’s financial outcomes and positively affected their families. When compared to men, women usually spend more money on their children’s education, health and nutrition. Moreover, childcare keeps children safe, with reduced mortality due to lack of supervision. For example, Bangladesh saw the mitigation of drowning risk and malnutrition reduced in Guatemala, where childcare provides up to 70% of children’s recommended energy intake.

Fostering a Foundation and a Future

The Research and Information System for Developing Countries and UNICEF have created a panel on ‘Investing in children: Investing in future’, demonstrating that early childhood care is a wise long-term investment. World Bank data shows that by prioritizing early childhood development, it is possible to pave the way for a brighter future, where children entering the labor market 15 years to 20 years later receive the abilities necessary for higher-paying, stable and innovative jobs. This positively impacts their learning, health, behavior and life opportunities. Investing in high-quality childcare not only has profound implications for individual children but also yields significant social and economic benefits. Providing children with a strong foundation in their early years can foster a generation of productive, skilled individuals. This leads to improved learning outcomes, reduced social inequalities, enhanced workforce participation and overall economic growth.

– Hanna Bernard
Photo: Flickr

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5 Organizations Empowering DRC Women

Empowering DRC Women
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is a country in Central Africa that is rich in resources but still remains incredibly poor. A severe food crisis stems from government instability. In addition, violent armed groups often launch attacks and assaults on women and children. Luckily, there are several organizations empowering DRC women. This article takes a look at five of those organizations.

Severe Conditions for DRC Women

In 2018, more than 35% of women between the ages of 15-49 years reported being sexually or physically abused by an intimate partner. Further, almost 30% of girls under the age of 18 have been married or forced into a union. Finally, 70% of both women and men face food insecurity as well.

Here are five organizations that are combating these severe conditions and are actively empowering DRC women.

Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation

The Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation is an international organization that has been empowering DRC women since 2009. It calculates that 60% of women in the DRC live below the poverty line and have extremely low levels of political participation. The organization works to gain respect for women’s rights and end discriminatory gender practices. Kvinna till Kvinna helps women participate in learning exchanges that provide education and economic empowerment. It also helps finance certain activities of the Rien Sans les Femmes (Nothing Without Women) movement, a collaboration of Congolese women’s rights activists.

By supporting smaller partner organizations in the DRC, Kvinna till Kvinna has definitively lowered gender-based violence against women and has boosted political participation for DRC women. For example, the partner organization AFEM (Association des Femmes des Médias du Sud Kivu) is a collaboration of female journalists. It uses a radio station, Mama Radio, as its platform to empower DRC women.  Mama Radio caught on and AFEM was able to report reduced violence against women.

AFEM coordinator Julienne Baseke noted, “Thanks to Mama Radio, we have been able to break the silence on sexual violence, people are better informed and sexual and reproductive health issues are no longer taboo. The authorities are also held accountable on sexual violence issues and the media are mobilized on violence issues.”

Women for Women International

Women for Women International empowers DRC women in numerous ways. Since 2004 it has supported more than 106,000 Congolese women. Its most recent impact evaluation reports increased access to credit, savings and assets.  Second, it reports an increase in women’s ability to pursue entrepreneurship. Finally, it shares that women are benefitting from improved diets and mental health access. In 2022, 256 women received advocacy training in land titling. It also expanded upon its health insurance projects which were able to reduce fees for women and their families by around 50%.

Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF)

WPHF is an international organization that helps empower grassroots organizations to help women become more involved in political affairs. In the DRC, it works with Spotlight Initiative, another women’s rights organization to fund 30 projects that 51 women’s organizations in the DRC spearheaded. These organizations seek to eliminate violence against women and encourage political mobility for women. For example, WPHF supports our GRACE, which seeks to promote gender-based equality and peace in North Kivu. It also supports CAUSE RURALE, which focuses on providing humanitarian aid to reinforce stronger institutions for women.  Finally, WPHF supports AFPDE, in South Kivu and promotes the strength of women’s organizations.

Women Concern (WOCO)

This Congolese nonprofit has been empowering women in the DRC by focusing on women and girls in rural areas. It focuses on helping women and girls see their own potential and provide them with development opportunities. Its unique approach is to utilize men and boys to be partners and co-agents to ensure change. It believes that promoting positive masculinity will in turn create a safe environment for women and girls to seek out opportunities. Its ultimate goal is to end the ongoing cycle of violence against women in the DRC.

Women, Cradle of Abundance

Women, Cradle of Abundance is a DRC organization. It has been empowering women in the DRC by attempting the eliminate systemic poverty for women. The organization provides physical safety, medical care, counseling and community services for women. It also helps improve education for women and girls by supporting schools for disadvantaged children. Women, Cradle of Abundance provides women with micro-savings and microloans. For example, it has provided 199 microloans to Kinshasha women. This helped them start or expand their businesses.

Moving Forward

Between international organizations such as Kvinna till Kvinna, Women for Women International and WPHF as well as DRC organizations such as WOCO and Women, Cradle of Abundance, a lot has been accomplished to empower DRC women. Past and current successes pave the way for more positive change.

– Anna Richardson
Photo: Flickr

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How the Ukraine War is Affecting Women in Ukraine

Women in Ukraine
Prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, women in Ukraine faced several gender-related disparities. Households in the nation that women head are more likely to be food insecure, with 37.5% experiencing moderate or severe levels of food insecurity compared to 20.5% of male-headed households. Women in Ukraine also faced a 22% gender pay gap and a 32% pension gap, leaving them more economically vulnerable to the impacts of war.

The War

As a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the cost of living is increasing at a rapid rate, creating an ongoing crisis in the nation. The war’s disruptions to oil and gas supplies and staple food commodities such as wheat, corn and sunflower oil have further propelled the crisis. These disruptions have created rising prices of food and fuel. A new U.N. Women report provides insight into how the Ukraine War and its global impacts on food and energy are affecting women disproportionately, making them one of the war’s most vulnerable groups.

The women who have stayed in Ukraine have become their households’ primary providers, as many of their partners have gone to the front. They face increasing financial pressures as securing unemployment is very difficult with the destruction of infrastructure and businesses. Along with this, as a result of rising food prices and shortages, women have reported reducing their own food intake to provide more for other family members, thus putting their own nutritional needs at risk. Along with this, increasing energy prices have forced families to resort to using low-tech fossil fuels which expose women cooking and doing various tasks in households to significant amounts of air pollution. The U.N. Women estimates that the use of low-tech fossil fuels in homes kills around 3.2 million people each year globally, making this a severe health risk.

The U.N. Women also reports that school-aged girls in Ukraine are at a higher risk of having to leave school and enter marriage as another way for families to make ends meet during this tumultuous time. This not only places them at an educational disadvantage for future opportunities but also puts their physical and emotional well-being at risk.

Pregnant Women

The U.N. estimates that around 265,000 women in Ukraine were pregnant when the invasion began. With this, the war caused serious disruptions in maternal health care. Expectant mothers have very limited access to doctors and the medical supplies needed to give birth, making it a potentially dangerous process. As a result of the physical and emotional stress expectant mothers are facing, there has been a rise in premature births and complications.

One group working to rectify this growing reproductive health crisis is the United Nations Population Fund (UNPFA). This group has created a mobile maternity health unit in which they go into remote communities and places that have limited access to healthcare due to the invasion. Through this unit, they provide women with health services and help deliver babies safely.

Increased Gender-Based Violence

One of the biggest concerns of the U.N. Women for women in Ukraine is the rise in gender-based violence, specifically increases in sexual violence. As a result of food insecurity, women have reported facing encouragement to use transactional sex for food and survival. There have also been increases in sexual exploitation at the hands of the opposing military and threats of human trafficking amid worsening conditions, according to the U.N. Women report.

Displacement

Women fleeing Ukraine are facing additional wartime burdens. A survey highlighting displacement patterns from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) found that women account for 81% of all refugees and 83% of women are traveling with at least one child. With this, one in 10 women is traveling alone. These women are more likely to face harassment and gender-based violence and trafficking. The U.N. Women also reports that for every 100 Ukrainian women, there are 77 children under the age of 11. This indicates that women are bearing a significant extra burden when it comes to childcare, and thus require a greater need for shelter and access to basic necessities.

Groups Working to Rectify These Inequities

Many often do not pay attention to women’s voices and needs in wartime, despite them being a part of the most vulnerable groups. Organizations such as U.N. Women have been working diligently to shine a light on the challenges facing women in Ukraine and to provide solutions.

After conducting multiple different studies through surveying and other methods, U.N. Women is now providing recommendations for the best practices for protecting and enhancing the livelihood of women in Ukraine and refugees. As women bear distinct and additional burdens during times of war, the organization is arguing that they must have representation in all decision-making platforms on de-escalation, conflict prevention and mitigation. Along with this, it is crucial to ensure that data, evidence and women’s voices inform humanitarian responses, including budgeting, programming and service delivery.

While the Ukraine war is affecting everyone in Ukraine, it is not affecting everyone equally. It is important to recognize the needs of the most vulnerable groups when moving forward with response efforts, thus more efficiently providing services where there is the greatest amount of need. As groups like U.N. Women continue to highlight the struggles of women in Ukraine and refugees, it is important that influential nations such as the United States back the effort as well.

– Emma Cook
Photo: Flickr