Support girl education to end extreme poverty
Mar 10, 2009
ACCORDING to the United Nations (UN), “Women are over half of the world’s population, yet they do two-thirds of the world’s work, earn one-tenth of the world’s income, and own less than one-hundredth of the world’s property.â€
By Davinah Nabirye
ACCORDING to the United Nations (UN), “Women are over half of the world’s population, yet they do two-thirds of the world’s work, earn one-tenth of the world’s income, and own less than one-hundredth of the world’s property.â€
The importance of women in society cannot be underscored. However, women continue to face abuse, extreme poverty, lack proper healthcare and educational opportunities. They are at risk of early marriage and pregnancy.
World statistics indicate that two-thirds of girls and women have no access to education. Sixty-five million girls and women have never started school and an estimated 100 million do not complete primary education, often because the quality is poor and their opportunities are far from equal to those of boys. More than 542 million women are illiterate as a result of inadequate schooling.
When given an opportunity to have a voice in charting their own destinies, women can improve their family’s and community’s lives. However, having inadequate knowledge limits them from effectively exploiting the available opportunities.
The UN’ third Millennium Development Goal is geared at promoting gender equality and empowering women, with the target of eliminating gender disparities in primary and secondary education by 2005 (too sad that the target has not been met), and in all levels of education by 2015.
When the UN developed the above goal, it believed that educating the girl-child was the key to ending poverty. This means women would have a greater impact on the world if they were educated.
Chapter 30 of the 1995 Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, states that “All persons have a right to educationâ€. It recognises education as fundamental human right for every person, regardless of age, sex, religion, able or disabled, everyone has a right to education since it is critical to human and national development.
The Constitution in chapter 33(i) states that “Women shall be accorded full and equal dignity of person with men.†Education is not a male preserve.
Every year on March 8, thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and celebrate achievements. Not that men do not deserve to be recognised and appreciated for their sex, they are, but on almost a daily basis.
However, inspiring women to be good mothers, farmers, teacher, doctors, designers, artists, musicians and engineers is good enough, but education makes them achievers. When women become achievers, world statistic like 70% of the 1.3 billion people in poverty being women will change.
Women will not be earning three-fourths the income that men earn in the non-agricultural sector, there will be as many boys and girls enrolled in primary and secondary schools.
The Government is implementing universal primary and secondary education to provide equal opportunities for both boys and girls which is a good start and should be embraced by those who cannot afford expensive education.
However, on its own, the Government cannot cause complete transformation. The involvement of the communities, non-government organisations and religious bodies in supporting girl-child education will help bring the change.
World Vision Uganda, a Christian, child-focused organisation is an example of an organisation that is supporting girl education to end poverty. It offers equal education rights to both girls and boys in over 20 districts countywide.
The organisation reaches out to child mothers by providing them with vocational skills such as cookery, tailoring and small businesses to improve their livelihoods. This enables young mothers to enjoy life to its fullness.
It is our duty as citizens to support the girl-child education with a goal of ending poverty.
The writer is the communications officer, World Vision Uganda
ACCORDING to the United Nations (UN), “Women are over half of the world’s population, yet they do two-thirds of the world’s work, earn one-tenth of the world’s income, and own less than one-hundredth of the world’s property.â€
The importance of women in society cannot be underscored. However, women continue to face abuse, extreme poverty, lack proper healthcare and educational opportunities. They are at risk of early marriage and pregnancy.
World statistics indicate that two-thirds of girls and women have no access to education. Sixty-five million girls and women have never started school and an estimated 100 million do not complete primary education, often because the quality is poor and their opportunities are far from equal to those of boys. More than 542 million women are illiterate as a result of inadequate schooling.
When given an opportunity to have a voice in charting their own destinies, women can improve their family’s and community’s lives. However, having inadequate knowledge limits them from effectively exploiting the available opportunities.
The UN’ third Millennium Development Goal is geared at promoting gender equality and empowering women, with the target of eliminating gender disparities in primary and secondary education by 2005 (too sad that the target has not been met), and in all levels of education by 2015.
When the UN developed the above goal, it believed that educating the girl-child was the key to ending poverty. This means women would have a greater impact on the world if they were educated.
Chapter 30 of the 1995 Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, states that “All persons have a right to educationâ€. It recognises education as fundamental human right for every person, regardless of age, sex, religion, able or disabled, everyone has a right to education since it is critical to human and national development.
The Constitution in chapter 33(i) states that “Women shall be accorded full and equal dignity of person with men.†Education is not a male preserve.
Every year on March 8, thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and celebrate achievements. Not that men do not deserve to be recognised and appreciated for their sex, they are, but on almost a daily basis.
However, inspiring women to be good mothers, farmers, teacher, doctors, designers, artists, musicians and engineers is good enough, but education makes them achievers. When women become achievers, world statistic like 70% of the 1.3 billion people in poverty being women will change.
Women will not be earning three-fourths the income that men earn in the non-agricultural sector, there will be as many boys and girls enrolled in primary and secondary schools.
The Government is implementing universal primary and secondary education to provide equal opportunities for both boys and girls which is a good start and should be embraced by those who cannot afford expensive education.
However, on its own, the Government cannot cause complete transformation. The involvement of the communities, non-government organisations and religious bodies in supporting girl-child education will help bring the change.
World Vision Uganda, a Christian, child-focused organisation is an example of an organisation that is supporting girl education to end poverty. It offers equal education rights to both girls and boys in over 20 districts countywide.
The organisation reaches out to child mothers by providing them with vocational skills such as cookery, tailoring and small businesses to improve their livelihoods. This enables young mothers to enjoy life to its fullness.
It is our duty as citizens to support the girl-child education with a goal of ending poverty.
The writer is the communications officer, World Vision Uganda