Empowering women through education: a fundamental human need

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OPINION

By Saidah Mbooge Najjuma (PhD)

Education is a fundamental human need, yet millions of women and girls around the world are denied access to quality education. This denial perpetuates the cycle of poverty, as women and girls are often relegated to low-paying jobs, limited economic opportunities, and a lack of autonomy. To break this cycle, it is imperative that we widen spaces for women's education, providing them with the skills, knowledge, and empowerment needed to lift themselves and their families out of poverty.

Mary Wollstonecraft, regarded as the mother of feminism, emphasized the importance of women's education and equal rights. In her seminal work, "A Vindication of the Rights of Women" (1792), she argued that women are not naturally inferior to men, but only seem so due to their lack of education. Wollstonecraft believed that women deserve the same respect as men and should have the same education opportunities as men (i.e. training in different professions and careers).

Wollstonecraft's advocacy for women's education was revolutionary for her time. She criticized the societal norms that relegated women to domestic roles and denied them economic independence. Instead, she envisioned a society where women could develop their rational capacities, unfold their faculties, and fulfil their potential as human beings. It is essential that we continue to advocate for women's education, recognizing it as a fundamental human need and a key driver of economic empowerment and social mobility.

As Wollstonecraft so expressively put it, "I do not wish them to have power over men, but over themselves." It is time for us to recognize the inherent value of women's education and work towards creating a more just and equitable society where all individuals can thrive.

Mary Wollstonecraft's pioneering work, was a call to action for women's education and emancipation. Her advocacy for women's education was revolutionary, emphasizing the importance of equal access to education and economic opportunities. Wollstonecraft believed that women's education was key to breaking the cycle of poverty and achieving social justice.

Despite progress in advancing women's rights, millions of girls and women around the world continue to face barriers to education. According to UNESCO (2020), 132 million girls worldwide are out of school, and women account for two-thirds of the world's illiterate population. In many developing countries, girls are more likely to be married off early, forced into domestic work, or subjected to other forms of exploitation, further limiting their access to education. 

Wollstonecraft's ideas on women's education remain relevant today. She argued that women's education should focus on developing their rational capacities, rather than merely acquiring "feminine" accomplishments. She believed that women should be educated to be independent, self-sufficient, and virtuous, rather than merely being ornamental. In fact, society is wasting its assets when it keeps women in the role of ‘convenient domestic slaves’.

In Uganda, initiatives such as the "Bonna basome," and affirmative action, have helped to promote women's education and empowerment. However, more needs to be done to address the root causes of poverty and inequality, including economic inequality and lack of access to resources.

Investing in women's education is critical to achieving social justice and national development. Educated women are more likely to secure better-paying jobs, make informed decisions about their health and well-being, and participate in their communities as leaders and change-makers. By providing women with access to quality education, we can empower them to break the cycle of poverty and contribute to a more equitable and just society.

As Wollstonecraft so eloquently put it, "I wish to persuade women to endeavour to acquire the strength, both of mind and body, and to convince themselves that the soft phrases, susceptibility of heart, delicacy of sentiments and refinement of taste, are almost synonymous with epithets of weakness."

However, this we cannot achieve, without the attitudinal reform of society, aiming at breaking of old attitudes, while at the same time promoting a scientific way of thinking towards women’s education, as a value addition, keeping in mind productivity and national development. Let us continue to advocate for women's education as empowerment, recognizing its transformative power to create a more just and equitable society.

The writer is a senior lecturer in the faculty of social sciences at Ndejje University