Archive for category: Women’s Empowerment

, ,

3 Projects Advancing Women’s Rights in Grenada  

Women’s Rights in GrenadaLocated in the eastern Caribbean Sea, Grenada is an island country with approximately 125,000 people. Like other Caribbean countries, Grenada faces several challenges related to women’s rights. For example, one-third of young women in Grenada, Saint Lucia and Jamaica do not participate in education, employment or training due to family responsibilities.

Though the country has made significant strides towards gender parity, such disparities extend to women’s political representation. Additionally, women in Grenada are more vulnerable than men to financial loss from natural disasters and domestic violence. In response to these women’s rights issues in Grenada, the government and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) are confronting gender-based oppression head-on. Here are three key projects advancing gender equality and women’s rights in Grenada today.

Gender Equality Policy and Action Plan

GEPAP is one of the Grenadian government’s most comprehensive efforts to improve women’s rights thus far. As the project completes its final year, GEPAP strives to invite the participation of women in every aspect of “all political, economic, social, cultural and environmental [programs] and projects.”

In January 2023, GEPAP took a focus on gender-based budgeting. Prepared by the Ministry of Finance, the Gender Budget Statement expressed the government’s continued commitment to women’s rights in Grenada by ratifying numerous anti-discrimination conventions. The document underlines the importance of gender-responsive budgeting, as the government is allocating financial resources to “address gender gaps in all sectors and at all levels.”

With GEPAP, more women have also taken on leadership positions, particularly in politics, schools and courts. In the 2018 elections, women made up 47% of Parliamentary representatives. In the same year, women held the titles of Head of State, Head of Public Service and the Head of the Treasury.

EnGenDER

Led by multiple organizations such as the United Nations (U.N.) Women, Enabling Gender-Responsive Disaster Recovery, Climate and Environmental Resilience in the Caribbean (EnGenDER) is a collaborative effort confronting the disproportionate effects of natural disaster risk on women in Grenada. In the program, food security within the agriculture sector and health and disaster management are highlighted by the National Decision-Making Mechanism for Grenada. Public health crises generally affect women’s food security more than men’s. For instance, during the COVID-19 pandemic in February 2022, the CARICOM Food Security & Livelihoods Survey found that 69% of men “had no difficulties eating” compared to 45% of women.

Changing weather patterns and natural disasters impact Grenadian women similarly, as they are often expected to take on greater household responsibilities. For example, many female farmers accounted for the need to provide for their families when they reported “having less money to spend on climate risk insurance.” The initiative found that this was less of a consideration for male farmers. Single Grenadian women face the impacts of changing weather patterns and natural disasters alongside poverty, making up the “largest segment of the poorest quintile of the population in the country.”

In addition, EnGenDER examines disparities in the medical system in Grenada, as women seek less medical attention but face more reproductive and menstrual health concerns. With its analysis across these sectors, EnGenDER has contributed necessary context to the government’s work on climate resilience for women, encouraging recent developments such as the National Climate Change Policy and the National Adaptation Plan that work in tandem with GEPAP.

GrenadaInfoSPACE

In 2018, a national survey showed that 29% of Grenadian women would experience gender-based violence during their life. The survey was one of few at the time exploring domestic violence but revealed a prevalent struggle among Grenadian women. The Spotlight Initiative to End Violence Against Women and Girls launched GrenadaInfoSAFE in June 2023 to help combat this issue. A digital data system, GrenadaInfoSAFE, is working to gather more information about domestic violence experiences throughout the country.

The platform’s surveys and statistics that follow will help quantify the gravity of the problem. By analyzing the collected data, the project hopes to put a spotlight on domestic violence, which is underreported and neglected in the Caribbean. With more tangible evidence of the specific types of gender-based violence occurring, leaders are better equipped to understand and address the domestic violence challenges undermining women’s rights in Grenada.

As efforts such as GEPAP, EnGenDER and GrenadaInfoSPACE work to bolster women’s rights in Grenada, they empower women everywhere, creating a world and future of greater gender equality.

– Estelle Lee
Photo: Pixabay

,

Mayan Embroidery Lifting People Out of Poverty

Mayan EmbroideryIn Belize, more than a third of the population suffered monetary, educational and infrastructural poverty in 2021. Additionally, more than half of the population faced challenges affording sufficient nutrition and basic non-food items in 2018. Furthermore, the limited participation of females in the labor force impedes poverty alleviation efforts and exacerbates the strain on the labor market.

A notable structural discrepancy has existed in employment and poverty outcomes, with women and indigenous Mayans displaying a higher likelihood of being both self-employed and living in poverty. However, a centuries-old Mayan art form once believed to be fading away is experiencing a magnificent revival and is helping to lift Mayan women and men out of poverty in Belize.

The Fashionable Revival of Mayan Embroidery

This revival of traditional Mayan embroidery is evident on websites of online giants such as Etsy and in high-priced boutiques in North America and Europe. Additionally, key public figures in Belize and influencers proudly promote clothing featuring this hand-crafted artwork. Unfortunately, the indigenous women who spend weeks and sometimes months crafting these complex designs do not always see the financial benefits of the work they put into their artistic expression.

However, this narrative is shifting thanks to the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and the Sarstoon Temash Institute for Indigenous Management (SATIIM) and SATIIM’s highly praised project, “Fahina: Re-Branding the Creative Industry of Maya Women in Belize.” Initially championed by Belizean intellectual and anthropologist Froyla Tzalam, this initiative received a grant of $130,000 from the Bank’s Cultural and Creative Industries Innovation Fund (CIIF).

MayaBags and Monetary Autonomy

MayaBags was founded to share the art of Mayan embroidery with the world, help alleviate poverty in Belize and help Mayan women become financially autonomous. The artisanal handbags encapsulate a rich narrative of Belizean Maya culture, celebrating its innate creativity and the skilled Mayan artists behind the intricately woven textiles adorning each bag. As a thriving social enterprise, MayaBags collaborates closely with Maya women from the Toledo District, harnessing traditional hand skills that have endured for millennia. These time-honored techniques infuse each bag with a profound sense of heritage, embodying more than 2000 years of Maya craftsmanship.

Since its inception by Judy Bergsma in 1999, MayaBags has flourished, evolving from a small-scale endeavor with just six artisans to a formidable enterprise boasting more than 90 skilled individuals. The demand continues to surge, with many Maya women and men eager to join and contribute to the initiative. Every individual on the MayaBags team has transitioned into a shareholder, marking a significant shift in the artisans’ lives. The impact is profound: nearly all MayaBags workers now have bank accounts, a stark departure from previous hesitance due to feelings of exclusion from the system.

Impacts on Education

Moreover, a substantial change is evident in the education landscape as most artisans’ children are enrolled, some even advancing to high school. This transformation was helped by prioritizing education and the financial means to afford school essentials like uniforms, books, exam fees and transportation fares. Desiree Arnold, the Production and Business Manager for MayaBags in Belize, attested, “Without a market and an ability to pay the artisans for their skills, traditional hand skills will be lost, at one point, forever.” She discusses how, in villages where women are not being encouraged to practice their skills, the quality of their traditional crafts has steadily declined. However, traditional skills thrive in the nine villages where MayaBags operates and remain vibrant.

Conclusion

The success story of MayaBags serves as a testament to the transformative potential of empowering local artisans and fostering entrepreneurial endeavors rooted in cultural heritage. By providing avenues for economic autonomy and education, initiatives like MayaBags preserve traditional hand skills and uplift entire communities, paving the way for a more equitable and prosperous future in Belize.

– Lilah Dees
Photo: Flickr

,

Advancing Women’s Rights in Andorra

Advancing Women's Rights: Legislation and Progress in Andorra On Jan. 15, 1997, Andorra submitted its accession document for the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) to the United Nations (U.N.)  Secretary-General. Women’s rights in Andorra have recently made significant advances, positioning at the forefront of gender equality efforts.

Andorra, nestled between France and Spain, this small European country has taken significant strides to ensure that women have equal opportunities and protections under the law. Central to this endeavor are various pieces of legislation aimed at combating discrimination, protecting against violence and promoting gender parity across different spheres of society.

Andorra’s Legislative Framework

In 2022, the country took a significant step toward gender equality by enacting a law aimed at ensuring equal treatment and opportunities for women and men, thereby prohibiting gender-based discrimination. Moreover, this landmark legislation outlines measures to foster gender parity across employment, education and public spheres. It underscores Andorra’s commitment to a society where individuals are valued for their skills and contributions, regardless of gender.

Combating Domestic Violence and Sexual Harassment

Addressing the scourge of domestic violence, Andorra has implemented robust legal measures to protect victims and hold perpetrators accountable. The Law on Domestic Violence Prevention and Protection provides a legal framework for addressing domestic violence and ensuring the safety and well-being of survivors.

Furthermore, Andorra’s laws clearly outline how to report incidents, obtain protection orders and access support services, showing its firm stance against domestic violence. The country also combats sexual harassment through legislation, ensuring victims have routes for action and remedy. This approach underscores Andorra’s commitment to creating a respectful, intimidation-free environment where survivors receive the support needed to pursue justice and rebuild their lives.

In addition, Andorra has enacted laws against sexual harassment, covering workplaces and other environments to give victims routes for action and remedy. These laws define sexual harassment, outline reporting processes and aim to foster a culture of respect, ensuring everyone’s right to work and live free from harassment and fear.

Promoting Gender Equality in Politics and the Workplace

In 2021, Andorra made strides in political gender equality by implementing legal amendments that aligned with CEDAW Committee recommendations. These changes mandate a gender quota, requiring that each electoral list includes at least 40% of candidates from each gender, promoting balanced representation in democratic institutions.

Moreover, the Law on Political Parties mandates that political parties actively promote gender equality within their organizations. This may include measures such as ensuring gender balance in party leadership positions and candidate lists for elections. Andorra promotes women’s voices and perspectives in its decision-making processes by advocating for increased political presence.

Furthermore, labor laws in Andorra also play a crucial role in advancing women’s rights and gender equality. These laws prohibit discrimination in employment based on gender and ensure equal pay for equal work. By prohibiting employers from discriminating against women in hiring, promotion or terms and conditions of employment, the nation seeks to create a level playing field where individuals are judged based on their skills and qualifications rather than their gender.

Safeguarding Family and Social Rights

Furthermore, Andorran family law includes provisions aimed at safeguarding the rights of women and children within the family unit. These provisions address issues such as marriage, divorce, child custody and parental rights, with an emphasis on promoting equality and protecting the interests of vulnerable individuals.

In addition, Andorra has made notable progress in advancing women’s rights and gender equality through a series of progressive laws and initiatives across society. By implementing legislation to address discrimination, prevent violence and ensure gender parity, Andorra reaffirms its commitment to building an equitable society where everyone, irrespective of gender, can achieve their highest potential.

– Rhys Woodward
Photo: Unsplash

, ,

Educate Girls’ Drive for Education Equality in India

Educate GirlsWith the persistence of socioeconomic disparities, Educate Girls has decided to fight for education equality across India’s rural populations. This nonprofit organization, was founded with a vision to bridge the gender gap in education. It works hand in hand with the government, communities and a dedicated team of volunteers known as “Team Balika.” Educate Girls is committed to ensuring that every girl, even in the remotest parts of India, has access to primary schooling and receives a quality education.

The Genesis of Educate Girls

Educate Girls was established in 2007 by Safeena Husain to address the stark gender disparities prevalent in India’s education system. Husain was inspired by the belief that educating girls positively impacts families, communities and the nation. This has led the initiative to take its place among strong global organizations. Husain created the organization to stand out from other foundations. He added that “while there are other credible nonprofits in India and globally that are doing credible work for girls’ education, our program model and approach are entirely different. Educate Girls perhaps is the only NGO that has systemic reform as its program model.”

Educate Girls has enrolled more than 1.4 million young girls in school. All this while encouraging 18.6 million children to gain an education through the Indian government’s education system. Over the years, the organization has collaborated with more than 21,000 gender champions in various disparaged villages. The team has worked in more than 24,000 villages in numerous Indian states, including Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Using the government’s education funding, Educate Girls’ team members identify girls who cannot receive an education and help enroll them in community schooling to gain basic literacy skills.

Team Balika – The Force of Change

At the heart of Educate Girls’ operations lies Team Balika, a network of community and village-based volunteers. They passionately work towards the organization’s goals. These volunteers are equipped with the knowledge and tools to engage with families, schools and local authorities, acting as catalysts for change. Team Balika fosters community involvement and ensures the transformation is sustainable and ingrained in the social fabric.

Development Impact Bonds

Development Impact Bonds were a product of Educate Girls’ partnership with UBS Optimus Foundation and Children’s Investment Fund Foundation. The project, launched in 2015, links monetary funds to tangible results, offering an innovative investment approach backed by evidence of outcomes. Under Husain’s leadership, the team agreed to improve literacy and numeracy and school enrollment rates among girls aged 7 to 14 in Bhilwara, Rajasthan.

Based on Educate Girls’ success rate, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) would pay the organization’s funders $270,000 in addition to extra returns. Over three years, Educate Girls surpassed both target goals, achieving 160% of its learning and 116% of its enrollment targets. Education levels for students studying in program schooling increased by 79%, with 768 young girls enrolled.

Project Pragati

In India, 66 million girls aged 15 to 25 are at risk of never pursuing an education beyond 8th grade. A host of factors hinder many girls’ education past a certain age. These include child marriage, early motherhood, poverty and lack of access to higher education. Project Pragati aims to build pathways for girls to complete at least a 10th-grade education to push towards employment, job training or university education.

Geetika Tondon, Project Pragati’s leader, builds upon the girls’ agency to make their own decisions, stating that “we do this by enabling access to quality education through open schools and by connecting them to skilling and livelihood opportunities. We conduct learning camps in the villages at the doorstep of the girls.” Camps provide exam preparation and a safe space for girls to be themselves while aspiring for more than a traditional role.

Collaborations and Future Endeavors

Educate Girls aligns its efforts with various government initiatives and programs, seamlessly integrating its strategies with existing frameworks. The organization maximizes its reach and effectiveness by leveraging the strengths of both nonprofit and governmental sectors. India, with one of the highest poverty rates globally, presents unique challenges to education equality.

Educate Girls navigates through these hurdles by employing a multi-pronged approach. This includes community mobilization, awareness campaigns and innovative teaching methods to make education more accessible and appealing to girls. As the program continues to break barriers and transform lives, its impact resonates far beyond the boundaries of the classroom, creating a ripple effect that reverberates through generations.

– Megha Gupta
Photo: Flickr

, ,

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

,

The Rosie May Foundation: Empowering Communities

The Rosie May FoundationSince 2017, bright pink tuk-tuks have proudly taken to the streets of Sri Lanka. Women operate these taxis exclusively, despite men’s objections in the town. They provide mothers with a stable income and children with a space safe from harassment, a problem faced by 90% of Sri Lankan women. These tuk-tuks are now only available in Galle, Sri Lanka, but the desire is to expand the fleet nationwide. However, the roots of this initiative lie with a small family in Nottingham, U.K.

Backstory of the Foundation

Rosie May Storrie was a bright 10-year-old girl who “drew everyone towards her like a magnet.” But just after Christmas of 2003, she was viciously murdered by a 17-year-old boy at a Christmas party. A year later, the family decided to take a trip to Sri Lanka, where they planted a palm tree in her memory. Unfortunately, the Storrie family faced a second tragedy while staying in Sri Lanka. They coincided with the devastating Indian Ocean earthquake of 2004. This earthquake triggered a tsunami that hit the coast of Sri Lanka and many other countries.

Although the 9.1 magnitude earthquake was the third largest since 1900, it did not contribute largely to the death toll. The deadly tsunami that followed 20 minutes later raised the number of fatalities from 1000 to more than 60,000 across 14 countries. In Sri Lanka alone, the death toll was 35,322.

Rosie’s palm tree stood tall among the carnage and damage, surprising the Storrie family. They were inspired to “turn tragedy into hope” by this. They wanted to protect children and families who had suffered in Sri Lanka, so the Rosie May Foundation was born.

Their Work

They started by providing shelter for kids suffering from the tsunami’s loss in Sri Lanka. The Rosie May Foundation has many projects addressing different issues raised by the disaster and has expanded its work to Nepal. They focus on keeping families together, educating the vulnerable and giving them the tools to escape poverty.

The Future Is Pink

The pink tuk-tuks are part of a “the Future is Pink” project. The program provides women with a regular income and allows other mothers to earn money elsewhere as they do not need to escort their children to school. The foundation has given 215 single mothers the education and opportunity to generate income independently.

Girls Can Surf

“Girls Can Surf” is another program of the Rosie May Foundation that pushes the cultural boundaries in Sri Lanka. Oxfam reports that 80% of those who drowned during the tsunami were female and yet there is still a stigma associated with women swimming. “Culturally, women and girls in rural Sri Lanka do not swim, even though the country is an island.” The 2020 Drowning Prevention Report identifies that, in Sri Lanka, drowning is the leading cause of accidental death among 1- to 14-year-olds. The Rosie May Foundation tears down this stigma and teaches young girls how to swim and surf.

One Light, One Child

The project “One Light, One Child” tackles the issue of the energy sector and poverty concerns in Nepal. According to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), 60% of the population has no access to electricity. The Rosie May Foundation has distributed more than 500 solar lights across rural areas to ensure children can do their homework and that their education is uninterrupted.

Conclusion

The Rosie May Foundation boldly defies gender expectations with its projects and tackles various poverty aspects impacting Southeast Asia. The Storrie family intends to keep Rosie May’s legacy alive through their hard work.

– Liz Johnson
Photo: Pixabay

,

Fiji Fisheries Contribute To Addressing Gender Inequality in Fiji

Gender Inequality in FijiIt may be surprising that Fiji is using the fishing industry in order to deal with gender inequality, but it is proving extremely effective. Fiji is a prime example where a country has taken one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), within this case SDG 5 – Gender Equality, and put it within the context of their island’s most important employment sector – fishing.

Poverty in Fiji

According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), in 2019, around 24.1% of the population in Fiji was living below the poverty line and this greatly impacts women and highlights the importance of promoting gender equality within the fishing sector, not only to further gender equality in Fiji but to reduce the number of people living in poverty. According to the World Bank, in 2016, women spent 15.2% of their time doing unpaid work, compared to 5.2% for men, showing a clear employment disparity.

The Issue

Women play a key part in Fiji’s fishing industry, yet still face disadvantages in comparison to their male counterparts. Already women play a large part in small-scale fisheries within Fiji, but many often regard their work as an extension of their housework due to their involvement predominantly being post-harvest as well as being within the clerical realm. This continues their financial reliance on men due to these jobs being low paying, even sometimes non-paying, and suppresses women from taking roles in the management and decision-making area of fisheries.

According to the World Bank, in Fiji, women spend almost three times as much time on unpaid domestic and care work than men, showing the disproportionate impact on women and the barriers and challenges women face to escape poverty. This is where Women in Fisheries Network-Fiji steps in.

Women in Fisheries Network – Fiji (WiFN-Fiji)

Women in Fisheries Network-Fiji (WiFN- Fiji) was founded in 1993 and aims to inform women about all aspects of sustainable fisheries. To educate women on the gender inequality within the fishing sector, to educate women on the importance of financial independence, as well as to encourage women to participate in the decision-making and management side of the fisheries. Its dominant aim is to enable women to have the knowledge and tools to take part in and promote female employment within the fishing industry.

WiFN-Fiji has run two workshops in recent years that focused on gender inequality in local regions, emphasizing the importance of recognizing this inequality within Fijian society and educating participants on this inequality. It has also worked collaboratively with Westpac Bank to create programs that help women deal with their finances independently of men.

WiFN-Fiji receives funding from governments, NGOs as well as charities, all to further their cause. By providing training and education at a local level, WiFN-Fiji aims to improve women’s opportunities and more than 80% of participants in these workshops in Tailevu and Ba rated them as effective, showing the impact these workshops are having.

The WiFN-Fiji demonstrates how the fishing industry in Fiji can reduce gender inequality, lead to societal re-education and change and enable women to escape poverty.

– Cordelia Moore
Photo: Flickr

, ,

Advancing Women’s Rights in Georgia

Women's Rights in GeorgiaTraditional gender norms and stereotypes in Georgia have led to inequality between men and women. A lack of equality between men and women’s rights has led to issues such as a 21.4% gender wage gap at a monthly level, a lack of women’s representation in political processes and poor education for women. However, there are four main areas where various projects are improving women’s rights in Georgia

Legislative Reforms

There have been numerous legislative reforms the government implemented to help protect women’s rights in Georgia. For example, in September 2022, the Government approved the second National Strategy for the Protect of Human Rights in Georgia for 2022-2030, which includes a whole chapter that focuses on gender equality. One major legal reform is the Istanbul Convention, which the Council of Europe adopted in 2011, stating that violence against women is a human rights violation and a form of discrimination. This was an incredibly important reform due to the high rates of physical and sexual violence against women in Georgia. According to the EU4GenderEquality: Reform Helpdesk, 6% of women in Georgia are victims of physical and/or sexual violence and there is a 14% rate of child marriage, compared to 1% of boys married before the age of 18.

In 2017, the Georgian government ratified the Istanbul Convention, confirming its commitment to combatting violence against women. Legislation reforms are important for protecting women’s rights in Georgia, as certain laws treat violence against women as a punishable offense, therefore encouraging women to report any instances of violence and rape.

Education and Awareness Programs

Another issue affecting women’s rights in Georgia Is the lack of comprehensive education for girls and women. Many girls drop out of school early due to child marriage. According to Girls Not Brides, in 2018, 48% of women between the ages of 20-49 were married before the age of 18 and only 29% completed upper secondary education, 14% completed vocational education and 8% completed higher education.

The ongoing education system reform aims to make education more flexible and modern and it focuses on quality education outcomes. The government developed a funding system to support inclusive education for children of all genders and special education needs. In 2018, the government also developed informational databases to collect data on persons with disabilities, including girls with disabilities in education, to help improve the quality of their education.

Furthermore, in 2019, “GITA launched a program for 3,000 advanced IT specialists in highly demanded professions.” The number of women and girls’ enrollment in the courses “has increased significantly” where “at least 45% of the beneficiaries of the Agency’s ICT courses are women,” according to U.N. Women.

U.N. Women reports that “GITA is also running STEAM boot camps where participants are chosen following strict gender balance, to ensure there are equal amounts of male and female participants enrolled.” Ensuring that women and girls have equal access to education is incredibly important, as it helps them to gain independence to the ability to seek employment later in life.

Women’s Participation in Politics

Efforts to increase women’s representation in political and decision-making processes could help to empower women and encourage more women to participate in leadership roles, leading to equality. Only 11% of women in Georgia are parliamentarians in national and local governments, meaning that there’s still a lot of work necessary. However, electoral reforms in Georgia established compulsory gender quotas to create gender balance in the party list in the elections. Although women’s participation in politics remains low, this is still a huge step towards gender equality.

Economic Empowerment

Economic empowerment is crucial for reducing gender disparities and financial independence.  In 2020, the government introduced the Law of Georgia on Labour Assistance, which aims to support Georgians find employment. Furthermore, it added a provision on equal pay for work of equal value to the Labour Code, meaning that employers must ensure equal pay for men and women for the equal work they perform, according to the EU4GenderEquality: Reform Helpdesk.

In addition to this, the government’s SME Development Strategy of Georgia 2021-2025 aims to promote the development of women’s entrepreneurship in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The government aims to achieve this through “popularising the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs), improving gender statistics in state programs, promoting women’s participation in state programs, strengthening women’s digital skills and the capacity building of state agencies to enable them to mainstream gender in their programs,” according to the EU4GenderEquality: Reform Helpdesk.

Overall, while there is still a lot of work necessary to help advance women’s rights in Georgia, the country has come a long way in its commitment to providing gender equality.

– Bethany O’Connell
Photo: Flickr

,

Empowerment Initiatives for Women in Palau

women in PalauPalau, a beautiful archipelago nation in the Pacific, has been facing significant obstacles related to gender equality and women’s empowerment. The population of Palau is around 22,000 as of 2023. The sex ratio in the total population is approximately 1.07 males for every female, indicating a slightly higher number of males compared to females. This distribution translates to approximately 53.9% males and 46.1% females in the total population.

Women in Palau

Domestic violence remains a significant problem, with one in four women experiencing physical or sexual violence by a partner in their lifetime. A lack of institutional support for tackling domestic violence further exacerbates this issue. Additionally, while women still play roles in traditional decision-making, there is still an underrepresentation of women in the political arena. Another concern is the limited childcare provision in Palau, along with a lack of standard regulation for daycare facilities. These challenges highlight areas where further work is necessary to ensure true gender equality in Palau. However, alongside these challenges, women in Palau have achieved significant progress as well.

Women in Political Leadership

A landmark event in 2023, the first-ever “Meeting of Women in Elected Leadership” in Palau, marked a pivotal moment for women’s political representation and gender equality in Palau. With the support from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), this event brought together 33 women members from the Senate, House of Delegates, State Executives and State Legislatures of Palau. The meeting aimed to reflect on the challenges and successes of women in government and to recommend actionable changes to enhance women’s empowerment in decision-making institutions.

Palau’s second female Vice President, Honorable Vice President J. Uduch Sengebau Senior, emphasized the critical role of women’s representation in public office for achieving Palau’s developmental objectives. Despite their presence in various executive and legislative roles, the number of women in these positions remains relatively low, with women holding only 6% of seats as of 2022, indicating an ongoing need for improvement.

Gender Equality in Disaster Risk Management

Palau has also been proactive in incorporating gender perspectives into its disaster risk management. Palau’s National Emergency Management Office (NEMO), Bureau of Ageing, Disability and Gender (BADG) and UNDP conducted a training workshop where participants received training to integrate gender, age, disability and cultural perspectives into disaster risk management policies and practices.

This initiative is part of the broader Enhancing Disaster and Climate Resilience through Improved Disaster Preparedness and Infrastructure (EDCR) project, which aligns with Palau’s national goals, including gender equality and women’s and girls empowerment. The EDCR project aims to strengthen gender-sensitive disaster communication, enhance disaster responders’ readiness and improve community disaster resilience with integrated gender and social inclusion awareness​.

Pacific Women Lead Program

Tkakl Mekreos, the Pacific Community (SPC) Country Focal Officer for Pacific Women Lead, is working closely with the Palauan Government and communities to promote gender equality. He focuses on changing the traditional narrative that confines women to caregiving roles, advocating for women’s participation in decision-making and leadership positions. A significant achievement in this regard is the development of the National Women’s Forum in Palau for International Women’s Day, which has become a well-established platform for discussing women’s issues and empowerment.

The 2021 Pacific Women Lead program, a major five-year commitment to gender equality, also plays a central role in SPC’s work for gender equality in the Pacific. With support from Australia, the program provides technical, convening and funding support to government ministries and civil society partners, driving gender equality efforts in the region. Australian government allocated $170 million for initiatives across 14 Pacific Island countries, indicating a broad and significant impact on women’s lives in these regions. Although a precise number of women directly benefited is not specified, the program’s wide-reaching initiatives and partnerships suggest a substantial impact on women’s lives in the Pacific​​​​.

The progress reflects a growing recognition of the importance of women’s rights and gender equality in Palau across various sectors. The initiatives, ranging from political representation to disaster risk management and regional gender equality programs, demonstrate Palau’s commitment to creating a more inclusive and equitable society. Continued efforts in these areas will be crucial for ensuring that women in Palau not only have equal opportunities but also play a pivotal role in shaping the future of their nation.

– Hosna Hossain
Photo: Flickr

,

The CURE Foundation: Women in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Women in Bosnia and HerzegovinaEmpowering women is crucial for gender equality in Bosnia and Herzegovina. While women’s empowerment has often been treated as something that can be bestowed onto female subjects, the CURE Foundation (Fondacija CURE) in Bosnia and Herzegovina challenges this limiting view, recognizing its insufficiency as a transformative strategy for development. Instead, the feminist activist group centers its focus on re-educating, training and engaging with women of all ages to break down socially constructed norms that restrict their agency by reinforcing reductive, patriarchal beliefs.

Women’s Empowerment in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Since the offset of the 21st century, a myriad of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), development agencies and charities have embarked on the mission of empowering women in Bosnia and Herzegovina to fight against gendered poverty, which is particularly rampant in the country’s rural areas. Vast improvements have been made across the country and the end of the Bosnian War created a political climate that ushered in feminist activism. This activism aims to combat the gendered impacts of the war that further entrenched the notion of women as victims.

The reality that marginalized gender identities are more affected by poverty than heterosexual men is a condition brought about by unbalanced power relations. In this context, women, in particular, are excluded from decision-making processes, policy-making procedures, job progression, skill development and, consequently, the realization of their agency. Research presented by the European Commission showcases the dichotomy of economic realities and opportunities between women and men in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The study highlights how women earn 46% less than men in the same job, occupy only 40% of managerial positions (a figure which is even lower in the political sector) and have an employment rate of 24.9%. The reduced space allowed for women regarding economic participation increases their vulnerability to poverty. Coupling this with data that demonstrates how one in three women in Bosnia and Herzegovina experience violence in their lifetime, it showcases how women may also be trapped in relationships of dependency. These dependencies are sustained through socially constructed norms reinforcing the “female” duties of caregiver, mother and wife.

History of the CURE Foundation

In the CURE Foundation’s 18 years of activism, the NGO has pioneered a plethora of projects, events, research initiatives and demonstrations that have all contributed to empowering women in Bosnia and Herzegovina. CURE’s strategy involves disseminating knowledge through various channels to increase the visibility of women in decision-making positions. These institutional channels take the form of public protests, workshops in schools, publishing research regarding gendered violence, educating community leaders and organizing campaigns to deconstruct stereotypes that limit women from accessing equal opportunities.

Education and Encouragement Lead to Empowerment

Despite the proliferation of programs aimed at empowering women in Bosnia and Herzegovina, their transformative impact has been limited by a focus on short-term, economic-related results. However, CURE targets the structural inequalities that hinder the realization of women’s empowerment. An example of this is CURE’s “Speak up against violence!” (Progovori o nasilju!) project.

The project targeted gender-based violence by engaging with five organizations across Bosnia and Herzegovina. Each of these organizations put forward two women to undergo training on how to effectively create safe spaces for women, encouraging them to talk about violence and move away from its normalization. Promoting messages such as “I can say no – Love is not violence” on social media platforms has also aided in expanding the audience to other gender identities, thus fostering healthier environments in which the re-framing of rights can take place.

This has a profound impact on empowering women in Bosnia and Herzegovina by shifting narratives of powerlessness to power within. Thus, it mobilizes women in a way that ceases to perpetuate depictions of women as agent-less victims.

Forming Gender-Sensitive Local Policies

The exclusion of women’s voices from policy-making processes reinforces their marginalization and creates strategies that are not representative of the parts of the population that face the struggles of gendered poverty the most; this contributes to the preservation of poverty cycles.

The foundation is combating this through its project: “Gender-sensitive Local Policies of the Municipality of Centar Sarajevo in the EU Accession process,” where research from local women’s organizations is incorporated into policy recommendations. By doing so, gender policies at a local level will target the structural inequalities that disempower women, such as barriers to education, lack of childcare and health care.

Moving Forward With the CURE Foundation

CURE’s program manager, Vedrana Frašto, reiterates the nonprofit’s claim of solidifying feminist activism in the younger generations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, stating that the “women’s movement needs to act now” to make sure the country is continuously progressing towards gender equality. Frašto joined CURE in 2009 and plays a vital role in organizing women’s movements, advocating for more gender-inclusive local policy and fighting the unequal power relations that hinder the processes of empowering women in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In discussing what is needed from future activists, Frašto expressed her concerns about diminishing interests and slowing down of movements, highlighting that “succeeding” in CURE’s mission will become harder if a larger gap is created between the post-war feminist climate and today’s generation where mobilization efforts have stagnated. That said, she remains hopeful and continues to work towards creating safe environments for women in Bosnia and Herzegovina where they can break down barriers, empower themselves and dismantle the poverty cycle that limits the endless potential of Bosnia’s future female leaders.

– Zara Brown
Photo: Flickr