Archive for category: Women’s Empowerment

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Women’s Empowerment in Chad

Women's Empowerment in ChadLike in a lot of the countries in Africa, women’s empowerment in Chad is lacking immensely. Lack of freedom, child marriage, violence and mutilation are a few of the issues women must face in Chad.

A tradition that resides in many countries in Africa, in different tribes and families, is female genital mutilation(FGM), an act that young girls must go through as a rite of passage into womanhood. One type of practice is confined to the eastern parts of the country nearing Sudan, but FGM crosses ethnic and religious lines and is performed by Christians and Muslims all over Chad.

There is an estimate that 60 percent of the women in Chad have undergone the procedure and that it is even more prevalent in rural parts of the country. There is no law that makes these practices a crime, but the act is prosecutable as an involuntary physical assault against a minor. A new law, drafted in 2001, would specifically criminalize the practice of FGM.

Child marriage is extremely common in Chad and is the main reason why young girls have to leave school early. Over two-thirds of young girls will have been married before the age of 18. To add, it is a norm in the country for many of the men to have more than one wife and large extended families of wives and children. There are organizations that are trying to raise awareness about the higher health risks for young girls when they become pregnant and are also trying to encourage them to stay in school.

In Chad, there is inequality between the genders in three different dimensions. The different dimensions being reproductive health, empowerment and labor market participation. Reproductive health refers to maternal ration and adolescent birthright. Empowerment refers to the share of parliamentary seats held by women and the share of the population, who are women, with at least some secondary education.

With inequality of genders comes violence. Around 18 percent of women in Chad who have been in a relationship, ranging from ages 15 to 49, have had a partner commit some type of physical or sexual violence act against them at least once in their lifetime. Women in Chad are citizens who have full voting rights but lack the knowledge about certain rights including their right to protection from gender-based violence. Many women are unaware that rape is a crime and see it as just an indecency. Without more knowledge on rights, women’s empowerment in Chad is stifled.

To bring back women’s empowerment in Chad, organizations like UNICEF are uplifting women by informing them about their rights. They are confronting violence and consolidating peace in Chad. The women of Chad are protesting against the violence against them but they still need support while they continue to deal with the gender-based violence and abuse in their country.

– Chavez Spicer

Photo: Flickr

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Government Calls for Women’s Empowerment in Angola

Women's Empowerment in AngolaAs a country that experienced war until 2002, women’s empowerment in Angola was a neglected subject until recently. In 2009, the Angolan Executive began to implement the goals of the Beijing Platform for Action, which promotes gender equality and basic human rights.

Laws and Programs

In response to the Beijing Platform for Action and a desire to bridge the gender gap, Angola enforced several new laws. The Labour Code, the Family Code, the HIV/AIDS laws and the Nationality Law were all designed specifically to end the disparities in employment, land ownership, health and basic human rights between genders.

Following the laws, the National Development Plan for 2013-2017 was implemented in Angola to ensure equal opportunities were extended to men and women economically, socially, culturally and politically.

The government of Angola designed the Programme of Support to Gender and Women Promotion, Support to Victims of Violence, Valorization of the Family and Community Development and Rural Women Promotion. All programs are meant to target specific areas that act as barriers to women’s empowerment in Angola.

Literacy

Furthermore, beginning in 2013, USAID aided Angola through a project called Basic Education – Triumphant Women and Youth Project, which teaches literacy and strives to eliminate all illiteracy in Angola by 2025. USAID designated $1.2 million to the project, promoting Angolan’s access to the project’s classes.

In 2015 alone, around 500 Angolan women earned their two-year literacy diplomas. The Women and Youth Project has provided 5,600 women with adult courses, while also increasing the enrollment rates of students in primary schools. The project also supplies students with textbooks and other school materials.

Through literacy and education, women become much closer to ending gendered discrimination.

Ensuring Jobs

Since 2015, Africa has sought to include more females in the workplace. Through a project called Power Africa, female participation in the power and energy sectors has increased.

Women gain skills in business, electrical engineering, communication or salesman services. Power Africa is providing women with networking opportunities and a chance to rise to higher positions. Ending gender discrimination in the workplace throughout all of Africa is key to Angolan economic success.

Combining the equality efforts of the government, organizations like USAID and Africa’s overall influence, there has been a kickstart to the country’s goals of achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment in Angola.

– Brianna White

Photo: Flickr

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Women’s Empowerment in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Women's Empowerment in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Located in Central Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has experienced several decades of war, rebellions and civil strife between communities. While peace has been established throughout the majority of the country, the eastern provinces of the DRC remain areas in which gender-based violence frequently occurs. Recent nationwide surveys have indicated that 57 percent of Congolese women have suffered extreme physical or sexual violence, including rape. The issue continues to be exacerbated by a culture of impunity and gender-based violence; highlighting the need for women’s empowerment in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The issue of gender-based violence continues to be perpetuated through several key factors:

  1. Women care for an average of four children
  2. The average daily income of a woman in the DRC is $0.74
  3. 57 percent of women have no formal education
  4. Congolese culture perpetuates harmful gender discrimination

These factors place women at heightened risk for gender-based violence and exploitation as a result of their socioeconomic position and cultural norms.

What is being done to help

Women for Women International is an organization that works in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to empower women through a yearlong program. Since 2004, the organization has served 91,000 women ranging in ages 31-40. Throughout the course of the program, Congolese women are taught skills in a wide range of fields including agribusiness, basket-making, restaurant and catering and small business. By teaching women these skills, Women for Women International saw an increase from $0.74 to $1.22 in the average daily earnings of women. While this is a small improvement, the organization is actively trying to improve the livelihood of the Congolese women they serve through skill building, education of their rights as women and advocacy.

The organization also attempts to engage Congolese men as part of the widespread social change that is occurring across the country. The team that works in the DRC has developed a program for men by providing them with knowledge about health, and social and economic issues that can negatively affect women. To date, they have had close to 10,000 men participate.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) understands the need for women’s empowerment in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The UNFPA helps to aid survivors of sexual violence by providing them with medical care, economic and social rehabilitation and legal assistance. They also have trained thousands of armed forces on how to protect and care for survivors. Since the UNFPA arrived in the DRC, over 15,000 sexual violence survivors have received basic medical care.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) also did a tremendous amount of work in 2014 and 2015 to encourage women’s empowerment in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They provided medical treatment, psychosocial support and life skills training to over 9,000 survivors of sexual violence. They also provided economic programming to improve economic capabilities for close to 16,000 women.

The work of these organizations and agencies have had profound implications for women’s empowerment in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Their efforts have helped to shift cultural norms and provide women with the necessary skills and services to overcome the violence they have experienced.

– Sarah Jane Fraser

Photo: Flickr

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Legal Reforms Key to Women’s Empowerment in Cameroon

Women's Empowerment in CameroonCameroon, like many countries around the world, has dealt with women’s inequality. There are several laws in Cameroon that are severely discriminatory towards women, and even after observations and suggestions made by the CEDAW Committee to the government of Cameroon in 2000 and 2009, there have been no legal reforms to improve the protection of women’s empowerment in Cameroon. To make matters worse, customary law is applied next to statutory law, which brings about many contradictions and inconsistencies.

There are many customs and traditions that impede the implementation of statutory laws. Many marriages are forced, especially in rural areas, where some girls as young as 12 are married. There is also the practice of levirate, where widows are forced to marry the brother of their deceased husband, a very common practice since widows are considered property. Furthermore, according to tradition, only male children can inherit property.

Domestic violence is prevalent and happens often while remaining socially acceptable. Unlike many other countries, marital rape is not considered a criminal offense. The government has not established shelters or legal aid clinics, and victims usually have to suffer in a culture of silence and impunity.

When it comes to education, the literacy rate for the 15-26 age group is 72 percent for males and 59 percent for females. This is due in part to families being more in favor of boys getting an education if they are unable to send all their children. Even though there are still fewer females than males in secondary school, there is slight progress. There have been some efforts made by the government to promote girls’ access to education. However, only so many girls have been able to benefit from the scholarship policy after already being affected by the lack of infrastructure, educational materials and a shortage of qualified teachers.

There are labor laws in place to honor gender equality and provide equal access to employment and equal wages for equal work, but women are still being employed in informal sectors like agriculture and household services. Sexual harassment in the workplace is common and is not punishable by law.

There are calls for the authorities of Cameroon to reform or repeal all discriminatory measures in statutory law; specifically, the provisions of the Family Code concerning the age of marriage, consent, polygamy, marital power and property. They need to take all necessary measures to improve women’s access to public and political life when it comes to decision-making positions, which include adopting special temporary measures such as a quota system and passing legislation criminalizing sexual harassment. Furthermore, there is an urgent need to improve women’s access to health care; in particular, developing healthcare infrastructure and intensifying the fight against HIV/AIDS.

The country has ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women but has not ratified the protocol of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa. These changes would further encourage women’s empowerment in Cameroon.

The government of Cameroon must act and vigorously combat these issues so they can become things of the past. If the government does not make these changes and bring about equality, it will be seen as inadequate and paying lip service to the noble goal of gender equality. Women’s empowerment in Cameroon is the goal and it is up to the government to instill these laws and hold people accountable.

– Chavez Spicer

Photo: Flickr

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Fishing and the Future of Women’s Empowerment in Nepal

In 2017, the Inspirational Women Series sat down with an empowered young woman named Kanchan Amatya for an interview to discuss her impressive achievements. She was born in Nepal, and through her belief that everyone should have an equal chance in life, she earned herself a scholarship to study abroad for an advanced education. By the age of 21, Amatya is now serving as a U.N. Women Global Champion for Women’s Economic Empowerment, is the founder of Sustainable Fish Farming Initiative (SSFI) and is an ambassador to Women Protection Center Nepal.

Sustainable Fish Farming Initiative 

SSFI is a female-owned social enterprise focused on fighting food security problems and poverty in the rural Nepal region. The organization offers tools and education on sustainable aquaculture and works to continue women’s empowerment in Nepal by providing women with access to all the necessary resources. These include training, micro-credit, distribution and market facilitation to allow farmers to harvest their own fish and manage production on their own farm.

Due to global climate change and the current imbalanced social and economic institutions in Nepal, there is a need to implement methods to diversify livelihoods; this holds particularly true for women. The most common form of employment for women in rural areas is in their own household — an unpaid position that cannot provide independent income. In regard to employment outside of the household, women’s jobs appear in planting, weeding and harvesting — all roles where profits are meager.

However, women have proven themselves in these areas. With programs like SSFI, they are able to continue on the journey to self-empowerment and autonomy.

Women and Aquaculture Farming

A 2007 research study by the WorldFish Center, the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science and the Asian Institute of Technology analyzed the introduction of an aquaculture sub-system combined with mixed-crop livestock systems into the Nepalese population and their effects on food access and security, as well as women’s empowerment.

Women who were given the opportunity to own and control a portion of the aquaculture farming system increased their autonomy and ability to make self-decisions within their households and community. The aquaculture farming system is the manifestation of women’s empowerment in Nepal and so far, it is working rather well in improving female independence.

Overall, an introduction of programs such as the ones previously mentioned are powerful in limiting the social and economic burdens faced by women with access to such resources in Nepal. As an added bonus, the aquaculture industry ensures easier and more efficient access to healthy meals for women and their families. After all, the challenges of the day are always easier to manage on a full stomach.

Women like Amatya, who grow up in less economically developed countries such as Nepal, grow up with a dream. In her case, this was a dream made of grand economic and social proportions. She is working every day to break down barriers for rural women and offer empowerment at every step.

The participants of this program now enjoy education, resource access and empowerment through the increase of income and expansion of knowledge. Amatya was originally just one fish swimming in the sea, but now her school of fish and community are growing. It will continue to do so for years to come, and women’s empowerment in Nepal will surface just like the fish they harvest.

– Caysi Simpson

Photo: Flickr

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Addressing the Issue of Women’s Empowerment in Turkey

TurkeyThe country of Turkey is located in between the European and Asian continents. Technically, the nation belongs to both continents, with 95 percent of Turkey’s landmass geographically located in Asia and the other five percent in Europe. This has led the Republic of Turkey to have evolved cultural influences from both the European lifestyle and the Asian way of life.

Even so, Turkey is a nation still heavily based upon tradition. Based on traditional values, women within the Turkish society rarely work outside the home or with men they are not related to. High-status job positions in almost all fields, except domestic, are taken by men, whilst the women are expected to stay at home mothers and wives.

Over the past several decades, though, women’s empowerment in Turkey has faced a turning point. Turkish women can now work as bankers, teachers, lawyers, engineers and more. A small but encouraging number of women even work as politicians. In spite of this being the case, women in Turkey still are not seen as equals to men. According to U.N. Women, women in Turkey make approximately 44 percent of the earnings that men make.

In the majority of households, the man has more power than the woman. The woman is expected to limit herself by choosing to take on a motherly role for the children, and being a dedicated and loving wife to her husband, even when faced with violence. As recorded by the National Domestic Violence survey, up to 38 percent of married Turkish women had suffered abuse from their husbands in 2014.

As mentioned before, the perception of women in Turkey is slowly starting to change. Throughout the 2000s, the Turkish government has adopted multiple pieces of legislation aimed at protecting women from domestic violence and eradicating gender-based discrimination. However, even though laws have been passed, the implementation and enforcement of such laws has not been as successful.

Gender equality is not yet a reality in the country, but women’s empowerment in Turkey has grown in the past few years. In fact, there is a United Nations campaign focused solely on improving the lives of women in the Western Balkans and Turkey. Initiatives, such as the three-year program Implementing Norms, Changing Minds, fight to end violence and discrimination against women, giving particular attention to women belonging to the most disadvantaged groups.

Furthermore, through the More and Better Jobs for Women project, the International Labour Organization (ILO) fights to create awareness about women’s employment opportunities. Developing women’s employment and creating decent work opportunities are some of the goals undertaken by the organization. By better serving the women of Turkey, the ILO hopes to increase the number of women employed in the labor force, only 26.7 percent of the female population as of 2014.

Turkey is on its way to becoming a country that values gender equality and forwards women’s empowerment. NGOs bring new awareness every day to the nation, and women’s empowerment in Turkey is slowly but surely becoming a reality.

– Paula Gibson

Photo: Flickr

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Fighting for Women’s Empowerment in Jamaica

Deep within this tropical paradise lies a history of discrimination based on sex. From job titles and pay to violence, women on the island of Jamaica have often been seen as second place, however, that is slowly changing. The United Nations encourages full integration of women in the development process, ensuring their “fundamental freedoms on the basis of equality with men”. Climbing the ranks, women in Jamaica are leaving their mark and breaking down barriers. Holding 28 percent of chairs in senate, women’s empowerment in Jamaica is making headway. But it is not an easy road. Although there is a high number of women running for offices, the amount elected is significantly less.

While encouragement for women’s participation in politics is present, many view the opportunity with angst. Verbal abuse, discrimination by male colleagues, and lack of support from their counterparts are some experiences many women have faced. According to the fifth periodic report submitted to the United Nations the word “sex” is absent from the Jamaican Constitution, preventing a person from utilizing their constitutional rights where such discrimination is present. Currently, parts of legislation are being reviewed which include the Domestic Violence Act and the Sexual Offenses Act to bring attention to these areas.

Appointed in December 2009, and re-appointed in January 2012 Kamina Johnson Smith is the Senator and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade. As a believer in a better Jamaica, Smith states that the government is committed to the achievement of gender equality, equity and women’s empowerment in Jamaica.

The Women’s Empowerment Principals (WEPs) is a list created by the United Nations stating several ways to encourage women to be apart of the workforce in an influential and enriching manner. At a recent consultation representatives of Jamaican companies who had signed onto the WEPs partnership were Island Grill, Sandals, RUBiS, Facey and Facey Law, JMMB and Women Entrepreneur Network (WEN Caribbean)/Zinergy International.

With the government’s backing, women’s empowerment in Jamaica is spreading throughout the island. In 2008, Jamaica reported 59 percent of its managers being female, one of the highest rank in the world. Increasing the growth of women workers and merging into other lanes of women’s empowerment will occur as long as the political transformation continues.

– Tara Jackson

Photo: Flickr

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Exploring Women’s Empowerment in Paraguay

women's empowerment in paraguayIn the year 2017, many countries still face a large difference in societal power between genders. One of these countries is Paraguay, which is located in central South America. Women’s empowerment in Paraguay is on the rise, specifically when it comes to women joining the workforce, enacting laws preventing violence against women and increasing access to sexual education.

Paraguayan President Horacio Cartes said in a speech to the U.N., “I make a firm commitment to strengthening the actions needed to speed up the advancement of real and effective equality between men and women in my country.” He supported the Public Policy Law for Rural Women, which aims to help women who live in remote areas gain employment despite scarce resources and few job opportunities. The policy will help provide women with agricultural training. Not only will this help feed families, but it will encourage women to become entrepreneurs. By the end of 2015, this policy had already reached 1,000 women.

Violence against women is an injustice that has been occurring for too many centuries. The president approved the Law for Comprehensive Protection for Women Against Any Kind of Violence in 2016. This law, as well as a commitment to coordinating efforts to fight violence against women and sex trafficking, will help foster women’s empowerment in Paraguay. The law will also help to better punish perpetrators and make sure they actually serve jail time or some other adequate punishment.

Teen pregnancy is a growing issue for women’s empowerment in Paraguay. Due to a lack of sex education, nearly one in 20 Paraguayan women have given birth by the age of 20. Becoming pregnant at a young age can complicate completing school and entering the job market. The Mbaracayú Education Center was opened in 2009 to provide the education that young women deserve. The education center is about more than sex ed: it also teaches job skills, including IT skills, textiles, tourism and environmental management. Movements like these show that there are many people dedicated to women’s empowerment in Paraguay.

– Scott Kesselring

Photo: Flickr

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Women’s Empowerment in Niger

Women's Empowerment in NigerWomen living in Niger face great adversity due to a lack of education, a prevalence in child marriages, and challenges stemming from conflict. Fortunately, many women are taking steps to ensure a better future for their daughters.

Women and girls in Niger are some of the least educated in the world. Less than a quarter are literate and less than a tenth ever attend secondary school. This is a big deal considering that attending secondary school for a year can mean as much as a 25 percent increase in a woman’s earnings later in life.

Niger has the highest rate of child marriages in the world. Three in four girls under the age of 18 are married. The legal age for marriage in Niger is 15, but various women’s organizations and groups are hoping for the passage of a proposed law that would change the legal age to 18 years.

Aminata Gba Kamara, aged 19, said “Girls in our country need so many things. They need psychological support, they need counseling. Their esteem is very low.” Many women think husbands are needed for protection, and life outside the home is not given much thought, said Kamara.

Protection is a real concern for many, as conflict is a daily fact of life. In the past three years, over 100,000 women and girls have been forced to leave their homes in order to flee from violence perpetrated by the Boko Haram. There are shelters and places of refuge, but women forced into seeking these often fall victim to a cycle of poverty. Most women fleeing from Boko Haram have been traumatized by physical and sexual violence. There is a normalization of discrimination and violence against women and girls on a daily basis.

Even with all these challenges, there are feasible solutions and women’s empowerment in Niger is a large part of it. Change is being implemented from the ground up, and youth are driving it forward. Campaigns have been formed to raise awareness about the issue and boost the self-esteem of women and girls. Tackling the problem of child marriage is important for Niger, as it will increase the number of citizens attending school rather than staying at home.

There are rays of hope for women’s financial empowerment in Niger as well. For instance, a recent push by CARE to help Nigerien women become financially independent via combined insurance policies and female financial groups has been fruitful. The savings groups, called Village Savings and Loan Associations have been a major factor behind women’s financial empowerment, and serves as a base for improving inclusion, health, nutrition, and agricultural productivity.

– Sam Bramlett

Photo: Flickr

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Women’s Empowerment in Libya

Women's empowerment in LibyaLibya, one of the largest countries in Africa, is located west of Egypt. Since 2014, Libya has been struggling with its second civil war which has affected the Libyan social structure. Though women have lost social status and power they once had, there are several organizations that are dedicated to restoring women’s empowerment in Libya through its political and economic social structures.

2011 was an inspiring time for Libyans. With the conclusion of Gaddafi’s rule, it was an opportune time to make changes to the political environment. The National Transitional Council, which was the first government authority after the Libyan Civil War, was comprised of 96 percent men and four percent women. There was also no representation of women in city councils at this time.

In 2014, the number of females elected to parliament was 16 percent, which it remains at to this day. Each city council was also mandated to elect at least one woman as one of their six members. However, the Zintan and Jadou councils have explicitly denied women representation.

The United Nations (U.N.) is taking action to increase women’s empowerment in Libya as well. The U.N. has made calls to force Libya to adopt a quota of 30 percent female representation within its current government, the Government of National Accord (GNA). As of March 2017, only six percent of the GNA were women. Hopefully, Libya will take these calls seriously and increase women’s representation in the government.

Along with increasing their political influence, Libyan women are focusing on becoming a more vocal force in the economic system of Libya. In October 2013, the Libya Women Economic Empowerment (LWEE) project was started to work towards providing women roles in the economy.  Over the past four years, 200 women attended business development training and 300 women entrepreneurs were given specific training on business skills.

Not only did they teach women how to start their business, but they held a competition among women entrepreneurs. The 20 winners received grants that enabled them to start a brand new business or to expand an existing business. The LWEE also held events where female business owners and managers were able to network with each other and establish connections that would lead to future business partnerships and support.

It has been difficult for women to make a name for themselves in the business world. Since the implementation of the LWEE project, women entrepreneurs have been able to take full credit for the work they have done. This is such an important step since, in many cultures and societies, men are given credit for the accomplishments that women make. Women’s empowerment in Libya is on the rise and it will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

– Scott Kesselring

Photo: Flickr