Archive for category: Women’s Empowerment

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5 Ways to Improve Intergenerational Poverty

Ways to Improve Intergenerational Poverty
Intergenerational poverty is the relentless cycle in which poverty is passed down from one generation to the next, indicating that impoverished parents have impoverished children. This cycle occurs because of the lack of resources that poor citizens receive, such as inadequate healthcare and education. The most salient way to prevent the progression of intergenerational poverty is to invest in helping impoverished children around the world. Children who grow up in poverty are significantly more likely to have low incomes later in life compared to children who do not fall below the poverty line. However, providing support for impoverished children is not enough to improve intergenerational poverty. It is imperative to also invest in women’s rights as their parental contributions have a major impact on children and their future societal status. By providing resources and support to impoverished women and children, we can help stop the vicious cycle of intergenerational poverty and promote a more just, sustainable world.

5 Tangible Ways to Improve Intergenerational Poverty

  1. Provide more educational opportunities for poor women and children. Education is a major factor in improving intergenerational poverty as it enables greater social mobility. For instance, each year of college equals a 10% annual income increase compared to individuals who did not attend college, according to the American Enterprise Institute. Additionally, education and schooling teaches children to be independent but also encourages children to form important social connections. These connections would help provide impoverished individuals with more opportunities and resources to improve their social standing. Some educational interventions that would improve intergenerational poverty include investing in free and accessible preschool programs, providing free childhood interventions for low-income homes, and designing scholarships specifically for impoverished students.
  2. Encourage women to own assets. Another trigger for upward social mobility is owning assets. Asset ownership helps improve intergenerational poverty as it is an important investment that will provide future generations with an inheritance, automatically improving their social ranking and economic worth. The most valuable asset in low-income countries is land. However, “women hold only 1-2% of individually titled land,” which limits their agency and well-being. Therefore, it is important to support public policy interventions that enable poor populations to accumulate and preserve assets, as the transfer of assets to future generations will help to improve intergenerational poverty. Some specific policy interventions to promote female asset ownership include supporting the co-registration of land by both spouses, improving access to legal services, and reforming marriage laws so women receive a share of assets and inheritance.
  3. Support social protection for impoverished women and children. When an unexpected shock or crisis occurs, poor women and children are the most vulnerable in society as they do not have adequate resources to respond to the shock. For instance, when spouses get divorced, women often lose housing and other productive assets, and they are unable to provide for their children. As a result, it is very common for women who are experiencing downward mobility to withdraw their child from school which has lasting impacts on their career and societal status. Some examples of social protection measures for women and children include disability grants, access to healthcare, social pensions and child support grants.
  4. End discrimination and empower women. Many countries and cultures still consist of largely gendered and discriminatory societal norms. Fighting back against discrimination and promoting women’s empowerment has significant consequences for intergenerational poverty as it increases the number of resources and supports a mother provides for her child, and it improves the child’s well-being. Sexism is a deep-rooted societal issue that requires intense and drastic collaborative interventions to be resolved. Although they do not fix the issue, the following short-term solutions would empower women and improve intergenerational poverty by promoting equality. The solutions include organizing initiatives with men to promote equal parenting practices, providing more income-earning opportunities for women, and granting women access to financial services without having to receive permission from their husbands.
  5. Support programs and policies that promote good health, nutrition and sanitation practices. The health status of mothers has huge implications on the societal and health status of their children. This correlation needs to be addressed as children’s health is directly related to their social and cognitive development. For example, many impoverished children perform poorly in school due to their delayed development, which prevents them from receiving high-paying jobs, and as a result, continues the cycle of intergenerational poverty. Some specific policies that address global health issues and would improve intergenerational poverty include providing free healthcare for children under 5 years old, fee exemptions for low-income homes, supplementary nutrition for pregnant mothers, and providing free contraceptives and advice to women around the world. By promoting beneficial health practices, women are more likely to teach those practices to their children which will help to prevent illnesses, promote healthy development, and hopefully improve economic standing.

In order to address the intergenerational transmission of poverty, we must first acknowledge the societal norms that are contributing to the vicious cycle. By counteracting the suppressive standards with progressive policies, children are better able to escape poverty and contribute to the world economy.

– Ashley Bond
Photo: Pixabay

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The Pangea Network: Supporting Women Entrepreneurs

The Pangea NetworkAround the world, women are disproportionately affected by poverty. Kenya is one place where gender issues and poverty go hand in hand. Over 35% of the Kenyan population lives below the poverty line, and women, children and the elderly are most at risk. However, as poverty and inequality increase, so does the movement to help change the tides in Kenya. Nicole Minor learned of Kenya’s struggles and set out to change the lives of women throughout the country. The Pangea Network, a non-profit organization focused on empowering women in Kenya, was born.

Poverty in Kenya

Kenya has a population of more than 50 million, with over 17 million currently living in poverty or extreme poverty — on less than $1.90 a day. However, poverty in the country is steadily decreasing, falling from 43% in 2003 to 36% in 2016. And although poverty in Kenya remains a significant problem, the country has a lower overall poverty rate than most sub-Saharan countries. Kenya’s GDP continues to rise by approximately 5% annually, which is an impressive feat. Despite these facts, however, Kenya is unlikely to reach the goal of eradicating poverty by 2030 without new poverty reduction policies and faster growth rates.

Women in Kenya

In Kenya, women and girls are most vulnerable to poverty. One notable gap between men and women is in education. Of those in Kenya that earn higher education, approximately 30% are women — despite government policies that ensure gender equality in education. One reason for this is that women in Kenya have traditionally been relegated to the domestic sphere and lack opportunities for attending university, which can limit job prospects.

Despite the hardships they face, women are fighting back against gender inequality and poverty through enterprise and entrepreneurship. That’s where the Pangea Network comes in.

What is the Pangea Network?

The Pangea Network is a nonprofit organization focused on “empowering motivated individuals” with “knowledge, skills and an ongoing network of support in order to achieve their dreams and make positive, life-changing contributions in the communities where they live.” The organization’s founder, Nicole Minor, began creating the framework for the Pangea Network in 2005 in an effort to dedicate herself to social service. Today, the Pangea Network is an international organization that operates in Kenya and the United States.

How it Works: The Kenyan Women’s Network

The Pangea Network operates a four-year course called the Kenyan Women’s Network, which teaches participants a variety of skills intended to guarantee their future success. Some practical skills that participating women may learn include bookkeeping, financial literacy and micro-financing; women can also learn about issues like human rights, wellness and personal development.

The ultimate goal of the Kenyan Women’s Network is to enable participants to develop and grow their own businesses, which will generate profit and allow them to become financial providers for their households. Women who participate receive loans from the Pangea Network, allowing them to fully develop and expand their enterprises.

Impact

The Pangea Network has had a huge impact throughout its years in action. For those participating in the Kenyan Women’s Network, the average weekly income rose by almost 40% between 2015 and 2018. Over 560 different businesses founded by participants have grown in size and revenue, 45 of which began only with help from the Pangea Network. Furthermore, almost 200 women have received animal husbandry and livestock training; nearly 400 women have received first aid training; and more than 60% of Kenyan women who participate in the program report that they are their family’s primary source of income.

Beyond the Women’s Network, the Pangea Network provides scholarships for school-aged children in Kenya. It also sponsors boys’ and girls’ retreats focused on empowering children and providing them with both skills and a love of learning.

The Pangea Network is an inspiring organization dedicated to empowering Kenyan women and equipping them to succeed. Participants in the Women’s Network are hardworking, driven and well-deserving of the tools they are given to start or grow their own businesses. The Pangea Network is not only providing these women with hope, but it is also helping to close the gender gap and fight poverty in Kenya.

– Paige Musgrave
Photo: Pixabay

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How Solar Freeze Aims to End Food Loss in Africa

Food loss in AfricaIn developing countries around the world, small-scale farmers see up to 80% post-harvest losses on their fresh produce. The most significant factor contributing to this large-scale food loss in Africa is the lack of proper cold storage facilities. Most small-scale rural farmers do not find refrigeration feasible due to unreliable sources of local electricity, the high cost of conventional cooling and the lack of technical knowledge.

Growing up in the rural Kenyan village of Machakos, Dysmus Kisilu witnessed firsthand how smallholder farmers struggled financially, losing 40-60% of their harvest due to the lack of refrigeration. When food losses are at such a high rate, food security also becomes an issue. About 30% of Kenya’s population faces food insecurity and poor nutrition each year, and agricultural food loss in Africa plays a significant role.

Kisilu wanted to utilize his knowledge and skills in renewable energy to make an impact on small-scale farmers, specifically women and youth, and food insecurity in Kenya. After studying solar-powered solutions to post-harvest losses at UC Davis in 2016, he developed Solar Freeze – a company that provides mobile solar-powered cold storage units for small-scale farmers.

Solar Freeze

Solar Freeze includes four innovative technologies within its system:

  1. Mobile Solar-Powered Cold Rooms – The Solar Freeze units are portable cold storage units that derive their source of energy from solar power. This off-grid solution allows small-scale farmers to store their temperature-sensitive produce like fruits, vegetables and dairy products in a temperature-controlled environment to ensure longer shelf life and maintain freshness.
  2. Cold Storage as a Service – Smallholder farmers and traders can use the Solar Freeze app and SMS service to locate the nearest mobile cold storage unit. Through the use of mobile and cash payments, farmers can pay for Solar Freeze’s storage service for affordable rates, saving costs in spoiled food, refrigeration hardware and physical storage space.
  3. Cold-Chain Distribution, Logistics and Transportation – Solar Freeze’s mission is to provide not only cold storage but also refrigerated transportation. Small-scale farmers should eventually be able to move smaller amounts of produce more frequently and cheaply with a cold storage “Ubering” service that does not require an internet connection to place shipping orders.
  4. Solar Freeze Mobile App and IoT Monitoring – Farmers will be able to monitor real-time data from the cold storage management system through the Solar Freeze app and IoT platform installed within the cold storage units.

Implementation in Kenya

Solar Freeze takes on a micro-franchise business model that aims to integrate its technology and knowledge with village women and youth. The goal is to get more women to own and operate the cold storage units as independent micro-franchisee entrepreneurs. Through the micro- franchise model, Solar Freeze will supply women smallholder farmers and their communities with solar-powered cold storage units and provide resources, training and mentorship to operate the units and grow their agribusinesses.

Solar Freeze has also created a youth empowerment program called Each One Teach One. The program, already training 50 youth, teaches the younger generation how to work with the cold storage equipment as well as solar irrigation. They learn the entirety of the solar-powered technology to repair and maintain the machinery. Students then teach others in their community the skills that they learned.

The innovative technology and implementation of Solar Freeze aim to transform rural agriculture in Africa, making agribusiness more efficient and profitable. It also plans to aid in ending women and youth unemployment, food loss and hunger in Kenya and Africa.

Future of Solar Freeze

Solar Freeze has currently tested its technology and business model with 3,000 smallholder farmers in Kenya. Out of the 3,000 farmers, 90% reported that there was a reduction in post-harvest losses. Kisilu plans to impact 30,000 farmers with Solar Freeze by 2030. The impact Solar Freeze can have on smallholder farmers and the surrounding communities could be a massive stride in revolutionizing farming and ending hunger and food loss in Africa for future generations.

– Dalton Dunning
Photo: Flickr

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Energy for All: Empowering Women in Senegal

Women in Senegal
One of the most crucial needs for countries around the world is widespread renewable energy access. In Senegal, limited energy access in rural areas has impeded economic development for years, with only 44% of households in rural Senegal having access to electricity in 2018. With such a lack of access, rural communities are limited to rudimentary energy sources such as wood-burning fires for cooking, lighting, warmth and other needs. For rural Senegalese businesses, renewable energy could dramatically improve food production and work efficiency. For example, instead of drawing water from a well one bucket at a time, farmers in Senegal could simply use a solar-powered water pump, saving a lot of time and expending far less physical energy.

Rural agricultural businesses, like market gardens, are in dire need of these technology upgrades as well as equal energy access between rural men and women. Market gardening is a popular agricultural technique utilized by smaller-scale farmers in Senegal, and most of the market gardening businesses are run by women. In fact, women in Senegal comprise 70% of the total rural employment workforce, making them the cornerstone of the country’s agricultural and livestock farming sectors. The empowerment campaign Energy 4 Impact is supporting rural women not only in their pursuit of widespread access to clean and renewable energy but also in the promotion of women’s autonomy and equality.

Energy 4 Impact’s “Energy Opportunities for Women in Senegal” Project

Energy 4 Impact is a non-profit organization partnering with local businesses to extend access to energy in Africa. It is working alongside Siggil Jigeen, a non-governmental organization that promotes and protects women’s rights in Senegal through the Energy Opportunities for Women in Senegal Project. The project aims not only to supply rural communities in Senegal with sustainable, efficient energy, but also to increase women’s contribution across the entirety of Senegal’s energy value chain. The project is active within the Tambacounda and Kedougou regions in Senegal, marked by characteristically high poverty and unemployment rates, low access to electricity, the dependence on solid fuel, the high level of working poor and the untapped potential for agricultural development.

So far, the program has empowered over “250 women-led Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs)” in rural areas. It hopes that by increasing the presence of sustainable energy sources, more economic opportunities will manifest themselves for women-run agricultural operations. The project has provided Senegalese women and women-run MSEs with reusable energy technologies (solar-powered pumps, solar lamps and freezers) and improved equipment for crop treatment. Besides supplying equipment, the project has held seminars providing women in Senegal with key entrepreneurial information that further empowers them as businesswomen. The project teaches business skills like record keeping, using financial services, networking and business autonomy, among others. Women are at the heart of Senegal’s agricultural scene, and this empowerment campaign has further secured their position as the country’s main actors along the energy value chain.

Project Impact

The project’s impact on women in Senegal is significant. A study found that married women entrepreneurs who participated in the project were more directly involved in decision-making, household investments/spending and health than other married women. Moreover, it was noted that most of the women who attended the informational seminars were more cognizant of “women’s energy needs,” their part in the energy sector and the numerous benefits yielded by actively participating in the country’s energy sector.

The Energy Opportunities for Women in Senegal Project has made tremendous progress by disseminating useful information and energy technologies throughout rural Senegal, but the country’s fight for energy is far from over. Energy access gender gaps and low female employment rates still plague Senegal’s urbanized areas. However, Energy 4 Impact has given hundreds of businesswomen in Tambacounda and Kedougou the tools needed to reach out to other women throughout Senegal, and hopefully empower them in the same way that they have been.

– Maxwell Karibian
Photo: Flickr

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Poverty in Ghana From Wealth Disparity

Ghana, a small country located in West Africa, has dealt with tremendous economic struggles since the 1990s. The good news is that the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) recently shared new data that confirms that positive strides have been made to improve multiple dimensions of poverty in health, education and living standards.  The report confirms that between 2011 and 2017, poverty in Ghana decreased by nine percent.  In addition, its GDP almost doubled from 2011 to 2019.

Ghana made significant changes to facilitate this progress. First, the nation diversified its economy to create more products and services in different sectors. This led to increased greater consumerism and higher employment, which allowed Ghana’s economy to flourish.  However, with increased consumerism also came disparity.  Because that disparity increased, poverty in Ghana continues to be a challenge.

Ghana’s Disparities in Consumption, Health and Regions

Wealth disparity in Ghana is extreme.  The top 10% of Ghanaians consume more than the bottom 60%, and the lowest 10% only consume only 2%.  Health disparities include the fact that only 2% of those in poverty are covered by the National Health Insurance Scheme and that wealthy children are three times more likely to live past age five than poor children.  Further, there is a disparity in poverty rates between regions and also between urban and rural Ghanaians.  The Northern Region has the highest multidimensional poverty with eight out of 10 people being multidimensionally poor.  The Upper East Region is close behind with seven out of 10 people multidimensionally poor. People in rural Ghana are twice as likely to be poor than people in urban areas.

Change to Eliminate Disparity and Continue to Improve the Economy

The UNDP is championing specific tactics to eliminate disparity and to continue to improve the Ghanaian economy.  First, it suggests investment in better healthcare in all regions and an emphasis on getting all Ghanaians national health insurance.  Second, it advocates for a focus on enhanced school enrollment and completion in some regions and better nutrition for children in others.  Third, it calls for a poverty reduction strategy for those regions where poverty is extremely high.

Other organizations are joining the UNDP to improve conditions in Ghana.  These include The Hunger Project, in working toward alleviating poverty in Ghana. Since 1995, The Hunger Project has aided over 300,000 people by focusing on improving infrastructure, education reform and sanitation. The project focuses on building community centers, or “epicenters”, in order to collectively unify communities within Ghana and provide resources, such as electricity and clean water. As of now, over 40 epicenters receive clean water and sanitation, and almost all of them have health committees and clinics.

Finally, many families in both the Upper West and Upper East Regions have found creative means of accumulating extra income, such as the production of Shea butter. Some businesses, like Star Shea, provide loans for women as a means of starting production and accommodating transportation costs.

Many women believe these loans were advantageous in pursuing more educational opportunities. For example, Mrs. Atorneygene, a local resident in Ghana, utilized the proceeds from her Shea butter production to provide educational tools for her granddaughter. Changes being made on a local level, such as the production of Shea butter,  have proved to be beneficial in providing opportunities to marginalized regions.

Outlook for Ghana

Even with the problems that Ghana has faced in the past, the nation has reached tremendous milestones and has made effective improvements within the last decade. With the help of the government, the UNDP, The Hunger Project and people in the community, Ghana has been able to make positive changes relating to its economy and wealth disparities. Now, Ghana has set a precedent regarding the instrumental changes needed to alleviate poverty.

– Aishwarya Thiyagarajan
Photo: Flickr

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5 Female Entrepreneurs to Watch Out For

Female entrepreneursThroughout the world, women encounter obstacles to entrepreneurship as a result of gender-based violence, pay disparity and early pregnancy. However, in recent years, female entrepreneurs are the fastest growing demographic of entrepreneurs, regardless of ethnicity.

5 Female Entrepreneurs to Watch Out For

  1. Victoria Awine
    Victoria Awine has worked at a cocoa plantation in Sefwi Asawinso, Ghana since she was little before owning and operating her own three-hectare land in 1980. After enrolling in the Cargill Cocoa Promise, a program which promotes female cocoa farmers to become business owners, in 2014 Awine became a leading entrepreneur in her community. She has broken barriers to female business leadership, rejecting cultural norms by showing how she can succeed as a business leader, a mother of four, and an involved community decision-maker. Since joining the Cargill program, Awine has seen her cocoa farm’s revenue increase threefold.

  2. Njeri Rionge
    Njeri Rionge, a serial entrepreneur from Kenya, has started several multi-million dollar companies in quick succession. She started her first business at 19, selling yogurt in Nairobi, Kenya. Afterwards, she went on to sell clothes while maintaining other small businesses. Rionge also founded Wananchi Online, making her one of Africa’s leading female investors in the IT sector. Rionge later went on to be the founder of digital marketing company Insite, consulting agency Ignite, healthcare consulting agency Ignite Lifestyle and start-up incubator Business Lounge. “I believe Africa is the next economic frontier,” said Rionge in an interview with Forbes.

  3. Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu
    Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu, an Ethiopian entrepreneur, started a sustainable footwear company, SoleRebels, when she realized the great artisan potential of the members of her community. SoleRebels has not only had great success in Africa, but has flagship stores worldwide. The shoe itself is modelled after a style commonly worn in Ethiopia. Materials are also locally sourced in a combination of recycled and organic material, like the Ethipian Koba plant, to make an eco-friendly shoe. Additionally, the production process of the shoes makes SoleRebels the first footwear company certified by Fair Trade.

  4. Nilda Callanuapa
    Nilda Callanupa, a female entrepreneur from Chinchero, Peru, is the founder of the Centro de Textiles Tradicionales de Cusco. Additionally, she is an author, speaker and expert in textiles. As a child, Callanuapa was responsible for tending her family’s sheep and weaving. Spending time in the field and learning about weaving designs, Callanuapa became interested in the history of Peruvian textile. So when she met an ethnographer as a teenager, and with the support of her community, Callanuapa attended college and determined to preserve and honor the tradition of textile in Peru. She is one of the world’s foremost experts on the subject of Peruvian textile weaving and has greatly contributed to the effort to preserve these textiles and its history.

  5. Oum Ali
    Oum Ali, a Syrian refugee and mother of six, started a small restaurant in Lebanon, employing other refugees like herself to feed many other community members. Ali started running her own business after inflation in Lebanon caused prices to rise higher than they had been in Syria. Looking to feed her children and having confidence in her home country’s cuisine, Ali rounded up a group of fellow Syrian women and set out to work. “My dream is to see a lot of Syrian women working and making their own money,” she said in an interview with BBC.

    These five female entrepreneurs demonstrate courage, perseverance and innovation in their approaches to business. Moreover, each of these five female entrepreneurs share a focus in community building and cultural conservation efforts. Surmounting gender-based obstacles among others, these entrepreneurs rise to the occasion for themselves and their communities, serving as excellent examples of leadership and strength.

– Elise Ghitman
Photo: Wikimedia

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5 Influences on Poverty in the Dominican Republic

Poverty in the Dominican Republic
When one thinks about the Dominican Republic, one may typically picture the beaches of Punta Cana or other tropical vacation destinations. Although the Dominican Republic has a strong and fast economic growth rate within the Latin American and Caribbean regions, the largest income group is a vulnerable set of individuals who have a high probability of falling back into poverty. In 2008, the national poverty rate was roughly 34% in the Dominican Republic. The national poverty rate fell to 21% in 2019. However, much more progress must occur in order for the people of the Dominican Republic to escape poverty. Here are five main influences on poverty in the Dominican Republic.

5 Influences on Poverty in the Dominican Republic

  1. Lack of Quality Education: Young children and women do not have equal access to education in the Dominican Republic. About 36% of students do not finish their basic education. Many children who drop out are from the poorest areas of the country. They have to stop their education in order to help their families by working to earn money. In 2018, a total of 65,825 students were not in school. This pivotal setback will limit equal opportunities and their development. In order for the Dominican Republic to attain a positive economic turnaround, there must be an improvement in quality education. Since 2013, the government has increased its GDP spending on education and joined the World Bank’s Human Capital Project in order to get input about the improvement of human capital.
  2. Socioeconomic Inequality: One cause of poverty in the Dominican Republic is unemployment. The employment rate of women is 33% in comparison to 61% of males in the workforce. Women are at a disadvantage due to the absence of education. Oftentimes women leave education in order to take care of the family and household. Even if women are in the work field, they are underpaid in comparison to men. The average pay for women was 79% of what men make.
  3. Lack of Sanitation: About one-fifth of citizens live in shacks without access to running water, electricity and proper sanitation. Although the country made an effort to increase access to sanitation services, this does not correlate with improved living conditions and quality. Many do not have equal access to quality infrastructure, which shows an increase in poverty. According to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the consumption of contaminated water led to severe diarrhea, which caused 50% of deaths in children under the age of 1. The World Bank Group helped restore water treatment facilities in Santo Domingo and Santiago. This led to more than 1 million gallons of drinking water for around 750,000 people. It also launched a project for wastewater treatment plants to help facilitate sanitation. The improvement of irrigation systems and clean water led to the improvement of local farms.
  4. Natural Hazards: The Dominican Republic suffers from natural disasters, which include earthquakes, flooding, hurricanes and droughts. Natural disasters have negatively affected a quarter of the country’s population. Many buildings and homes are vulnerable to natural disasters due to a lack of enforcing proper building and zoning codes. Increased flooding due to climate change will lead to economic loss within the country. It is difficult for the government to produce aid for families and businesses burdened by natural disasters. In 2017, Hurricanes Maria and Irma brought high winds, flooding and landslides that devastated the country. These hurricanes caused major property damage due to the creation of strong storm surges along the coastline. Luckily, the death toll was not high from these hurricanes. However, the storms caused major damage to physical communities and left many without power, water and sanitation. The Dominican Red Cross responds to disasters where it has relief protocols in order to support the country. It distributed relief packages to more than 2,000 families that Hurricane Irma affected.
  5. Crime: Violence and criminal activity led to a downfall in the country’s wealth equality. Although the Dominican Republic’s gross domestic product continues to rise, different communities do not have equal funding. Higher crime rates lead to disproportionality of wealth. These poverty-stricken communities lack protection. This can lead to individuals living in extreme poverty in the Dominican Republic.

Looking Ahead

The Dominican Republic is capable of reducing poverty in the next 10 years, but it must make major improvements. In order to end poverty in the Dominican Republic, representatives must improve the quality of education, health care services and employment through the implementation of policies that help the most vulnerable individuals. The country needs to make positive economic changes by increasing human capital and the business environment, improving the management of natural disasters and climate change and maintaining natural resources. These five influences on poverty in the Dominican Republic show that there needs to be policy changes in order to reshape the inequalities within the country.

– Ann Ciancia
Photo: Flickr

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2 Organizations Fighting for Gender Equality in El Salvador

gender equality in el salvadorIn a report by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, El Salvador is cited as having one of the top rates of violence in the region, with a disproportionate amount of violence aimed at women and girls. Since many girls begin working at a young age, they are vulnerable to abuse and are often forced to leave school to provide for their families. However, in recent years, organizations such as the Concertación de Mujeres Suchitotos and the Salvadoran Institute for the Advancement of Women have established a presence in fighting for gender equality in El Salvador, particularly the freedom from violence and economic equality.

Concertación de Mujeres Suchitotos

Established in 2008 in relation to the nonprofit organization Mary’s Pence, the Concertación de Mujeres Suchitotos works within the Salvadoran community to fight for gender equality, support women in pursuing financial independence and teach about sexual and reproductive rights. Now with over 300 members and 576 loans given to women in the community to begin their own small businesses, the organization boasts many successful women-owned businesses in agriculture, food service and the clothing industry.

In 2016, the Concertación de Mujeres Suchitotos held an assembly to share their growing knowledge of economic solidarity with other women. Along with members in El Salvador, women from Nicaragua and Honduras attended the event, creating a total of about 120 women. The event allowed attendees to discuss their business strategies with other women in similar business ventures and brainstorm ways to improve. By giving the women a space for discourse, the Concertación de Mujeres Suchitotos further empowered El Salvadoran women to connect with each other.

However, the women in El Salvador are still struggling with violence and freedom. Gangs threatened women who owned businesses, demanding money in exchange for leaving the women and their businesses alone. Teen pregnancy continues to run high, something this organization hopes to combat through open discussions about sexual and reproductive health. Through economic independence and transparent education, the Concertación de Mujeres Suchitotos is fighting for the rights of Salvadoran women.

Salvadoran Institute for the Advancement of Women

This agency was created to uphold the measures in the Domestic Violence Act and National Plan to Prevent and Deal with Domestic Violence, passed by the Salvadoran Secretariat of Social Inclusion in response to the high levels of domestic violence in the country. By recognizing domestic violence as a government issue, women suffering from violence in El Salvador were more likely to speak up and fight for their rights.

Like the Concertación de Mujeres Suchitotos, the agency implements programs to encourage women’s education in business along with protecting those suffering from domestic violence. Although the government recognizes the gender disparity in business and economics, inherent sexism in communities challenges the progress of women in El Salvador. For example, the government can implement a program encouraging women into intellectual work, but the men working there have a preexisting bias of prioritizing and hiring men for such positions.

However, progress is being made. The Salvadoran Institute for the Advancement of Women recently provided over 100 hygiene kits of feminine products and clothes to women who were struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The mission of the agency is to support women in exercising their rights as citizens and bring the country closer to true gender equality; giving women the tools to be hygienic and safe is a start.

Seven in ten women in El Salvador are affected by some form of violence throughout their lives. The Concertación de Mujeres Suchitotos and the Salvadoran Institute for the Advancement of Women are taking a stand against domestic violence, arguing Salvadoran women have a right to live a violence-free life. Although slow, these organizations are seeing progress through their programs and fight tirelessly for gender equality in El Salvador.

– Kiyomi Kishaba
Photo: Wikimedia

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6 Ways Banmujer Fights Gender Inequality in Venezuela

Gender Inequality in VenezuelaIn Venezuela, like other conservative countries, women have often been viewed as the weaker sex, creating vast gender inequalities. In the past few decades, the country has faced severe political turmoil. Women have shouldered the brunt of the force. The coronavirus pandemic has exposed the extent of gender inequality in Venezuela, as women must rely on their partners for financial support – those same partners from whom many women face domestic violence. Thankfully, there are many resources for Venezuelan women to turn to, including the Women’s Development Bank, abbreviated Banmujer. It is the only state-owned women’s bank in the world. Here are six ways that Banmujer is addressing gender inequality in Venezuela.

Six Ways Banmujer is Aiding Women

  1. For women, by women – The Venezuelan Women’s Development Bank was created in 2001 to help empower women by ensuring financial stability independent from their partners. Banmujer supports female entrepreneurs by only providing loans to women, promoting financial independence, creativity and innovation. In addition, the organization employs women who travel to rural communities to develop female-led business proposals. This would be instead of having regional offices. This makes it extremely easy for women all over the country to apply for a loan.
  2. More than just a bank – Not only does the bank provide loans, but it also provides training and education to women. The organization teaches women how to develop an entrepreneurial idea, efficiently use the loan and manage a business. Extending their efforts even further, the bank hosts workshops on women’s health, prevention of domestic violence, community leadership, legal advice and more.
  3. Real and long-lasting change – The bank is fighting gender inequality in Venezuela by offering small loans to groups of women with business ideas. Banmujer has also trained over 100,000 women. Many women have benefited from these small loans and each story is unique. The Guardian highlights one such success story. Matild Calixte used to work at a hair salon earning well below the price of a haircut. She even had to take on a second job to provide for her family. With the help of the Women’s Development Bank, Calixte was able to open her own hair salon and equally split the income with the other hairstylists. Because of this, she has achieved financial stability and can now afford to send her daughter to college.
  4. Making it easy – Most of the world’s property owners are men. It is easier for men to be approved for loans – they have collateral to secure them. When the idea of a women’s bank was proposed by Nora Castañeda, Banmujer’s original president, she made it a priority to allow women with no financial assets to be included in the loans. This alone is absolutely revolutionary in the gender equality movement. In addition, when women successfully pay back their loans, they can take out another loan worth one and a half times their previous one. Monthly interest rates are also fixed at a low rate of 1% which makes getting a loan even more attainable.
  5. Creating a caring economy – The Women’s Development Bank doesn’t solely measure success by financial profits, but societal ones. While there has been criticism of high default rates in the bank’s earlier years, it should not be defined in purely economic terms. Banmujer focuses on the progress being made to address gender inequality in Venezuela. Castañeda explains that “we are creating…an economy at the service of human beings, not human beings at the service of the economy.” The bank cares more about helping Venezuelan women than it does about making a profit.
  6. Helpful for the whole economy – Banmujer recognizes that fighting gender inequality in Venezuela by empowering women means reducing poverty. Close to 45% of Venezuelans live in poverty, and 70% of those are women. However, the loans have created over 70,000 jobs. By empowering women to reach financial independence, it stimulates the economy.
Banmujer has had an incredible influence on more than 100,000 women, effectively addressing gender inequality in Venezuela. By giving small loans, the program encourages entrepreneurial ideas and financial independence. The aim for the loans is to spur collaboration between women, not competition. The president of the bank made sure to focus program efforts on lifting women out of poverty and empowering them to start their own businesses.

– Karin Filipova
Photo: Banmujer CA

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Empowering Women in India

Women in IndiaSocial constructionism has played a significant role in transforming the way most people look at the world. One specific identifier that has gained a lot of attention throughout the past century is gender roles. Some countries have embraced gender equality, whereas others are still navigating its implications. To explore this ongoing movement, here is an overview of gender norms for women in India.

The Situation

In rural and impoverished areas, women in India are still expected to conform to traditional roles. Girls are expected to marry by their early 20s and give birth to many children until they have birthed sons. They also serve the household needs. Slowly, more developed areas of India have begun to follow the more progressive ideology. However, remnants of this expectation for women are littered throughout Indian culture.

There is a significant difference in the treatment of men and women in India. In the traditional Indian family structure, families prioritize a son’s education because he has the most potential to earn money for the family. Families raise girls with the idea that they must marry off to another family. Often times, a girl’s schoolwork is not a priority when compared to learning to cook, clean and do other household chores.

The Burden of Being a Woman

In impoverished areas, having a daughter is seen as a burden because of the role that women are expected to play. The father must marry the daughter off to a stable family. However, the financial burden is huge. A Dowry is a reward that the groom’s family seeks from the bride’s family before getting married. Though technically illegal in India now, it is an old tradition that turns the institution of marriage into a bargain. For poor families, a dowry is a huge burden on the family. If not paid, the groom’s side of the family can back out of the arrangement.

After the marriage ceremony, Indian women are expected to stay home to cook, clean and give birth to children. According to a study done by the Indian Journal of Community Medicine, domestic violence is more likely to occur with younger females, women who have a lower income, women who are less educated and unemployed and women who are part of a lower caste.

Further, the average female literacy rate in India is 65.5%, which is just under two-thirds of the population of women in India. Only 31.2% of women participate in the labor force, leaving more than 50 million women without work or education. This is an alarming number of people for a country as densely populated as India.

The Azad Foundation

Organizations are seeking to lower the gap by helping empower women to overcome difficult situations. Various organizations provide women in India with resources to defend themselves in harmful situations and aid in the fight for equal rights. The Azad Foundation is one of them. With headquarters in Delhi and many offices around the country, this foundation reaches women living in rural areas who face domestic violence at home. The Azad Foundation’s purpose is to equip these women with resources and knowledge to “earn livelihoods with dignity.” The organization does this with various programs.

  1. Women on Wheels is one program that aims to teach marginalized women to drive so they can earn a living. According to the Azad Foundation, teaching women to become professional drivers is key to integrate them into the mainstream economy. This program works with women who are mostly from the slums. Most of these women in India have not finished grade school and aren’t able to get high-skill jobs. The program uses module-based teaching. The education includes technical modules that teach women in India to drive, self-development modules that teach English and first aid training and empowerment modules that teach self-defense and gender rights. After training the women, Sakha Consulting Wings, Azad’s partner, provides placement within the private chauffeur industry.
  2. Community Engagement Programs focus on a variety of initiatives. These initiatives include Men for Gender Justice, which increases men’s awareness and support of gender equality. Additionally, the Parvaz Feminist Leadership Program teaches women to become leaders within the community and encourages them to become catalysts for change. Azad Kishori 9 to 12 holds workshops around the country to educate girls on patriarchy, sexual health and women’s legal rights. The foundation also participates in annually One Billion Rising and 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. All of these initiatives support engagement and social justice for women in India.
  3. The final branch of the Azad Foundation is the research and advocacy portion. To reach the goal of creating a national impact, the organization conducted research on a variety of gender-based issues and used these reports to launch social change. Azad Foundation also works closely with the government to create and change policies that empower women in India.

Future Change

While many social and cultural changes need to take place to improve gender equality, organizations like Azad Foundation have made a great impact on women in India. Empowering more women will transform the patriarchy that has been such a large part of Indian culture.

– Shreya Chari

Photo: Flickr