IWD 2012: Commitment to Education

Photograph: Natacha Pisarenko/AP

Women's rights have certainly made head way since the early 1900's.  The world is undoubtedly a better place for women, but we must not be complacent.  We must recognize that women's rights are human rights and there lies a long road ahead of us to reach this recognition.  To this day, women everywhere are constantly subjected to violence and oppression, denied of basic rights, and are faced with a "barrage of difficulties" due to their sex. 

Less than 20% of world's parliamentarians are women

Less than 10% of countries have female head of state

Less than 3% signatories to peace agreements are women

This all comes down to one word, education.  Studies have shown that education plays a vital role in women empowerment and is the most effective way to fight global poverty and social injustice.  Educating women improves the rights of women in all areas of life.  Sure, gender equality seems a little far fetched, and requires shifting of attitudes, traditions, and practices, but this long-term commitment plan for education needs to happen if we want to see change and the betterment of the female population.     

Mothers who have been educated are more likely to give birth in health facilities

Girls with post-primary education are 5X more likely to be knowledgeable of HIV/AIDS

But, 30 million more girls than boys are out of school and are stripped of the opportunity

Today, we celebrate womanhood and those who have played a transformative role in paving the path that we have before us.  Happy International Women's Day from all of us here at The Borgen Project! 

-Georisa Chang

SOURCE: The Guardian 

Women's Empowerment in Agriculture

Even in the face of economic constraints and social obstacles, women still play an important role in agricultural growth in developing nations. The U.S. Government's Feed the Future initiative, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) will release a joint report at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. 

This report, which is entitled the Women's Economic in Agriculture Index (WEAI), is the first to measure women's empowerment levels in agriculture. The UN will use this index to evaluate Feed the Future programs worldwide. 

-Akshika Patel

SOURCE: Feed the Future: The U.S. Government's Global Hunger and Food Security Initiative

South Africa Home Minister For Poverty Reduction

Photo Courtesy of Township Times

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, South Africa's Home Affairs Minister, is currently running for the African Union Commission chairperson position. She has pledged to focus on poverty reduction within the African continent. She has said that, "We need to eradicate conflicts on our continent by providing African solutions to African problems." 

The African Union has declared 2010-2020 as the Decade of Women. In light of this, Dlamini-Zuma's plans of action focuses on the emancipation of women, education, health, shelter, and job creation. She urges the acceleration and integration of all economic spheres in order to advance African interests internationally.

-Akshika Patel


SOURCE: News Day: Everyday News for the People

Congolese Women Will Rise

Eve Ensler, author of The Vagina Monologues, talks about her involvement with The City of Joy, global feminism movement, and why gender equality should be on the minds of more men.  Watch this, it is very inspiring!

Women of Democratic Republic of Congo

-Georisa Chang
SOURCE: The Guardian

African Women Need Choice

Reaching 7 billion in population is a feat worth noting.  However, the true nature of this marking is much more complicated and destructive than we realize.  The current growth rate anticipates 78 million more people each year.  How many is too many we ask? 

The increase in population growth is attributed to the conditions of developing nations.  Africa’s population growth rate is at 2.3%, which doubles that of Asia’s.  The reason for this rapid increase in population lies within gender, believes Tewodros Melesse, Director-General of the International Planned Parenthood Foundation.  Being stripped of the freedom to choose whether or not they want to have a child is the root of the problem.

With poor accessibility to contraceptives, lack of education, and pressures of society essential to economic survival, constant reproduction is what becomes of these women.  In many countries, girls are married off at a young age, become pregnant too early, and their education gets cut so that they can care for their young family.

Light needs to be shed on this matter.  Women need empowerment and to know that the number of children they bear does not determine their own self-worth.  Be provided with easier accessibility to resources, medical care, and information when needed.  Ultimately, be given a choice.   

 -Georisa Chang

SOURCE: CNN

The Norwegian Council Recognizes the Work of Women

The 2011 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded jointly to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Leymah Gbowee, and Tawakkul Karman. The Nobel Peace committee said the award was to be divided in three equal parts between Sirleaf, Gbowee, and Karman, “for their non-violence struggle to the safety of women and for women’s rights to full partition in peace-building work.” The women are the first females to receive the Nobel Peace Prize since October 2004, when Wangari Muta Maathai, the Kenyan environmentalist and political activist was honored with the award. Sirleaf, Gbowee, and Karman who demonstrate the vital role that women play in advancing peace and security, bring the total of female winners to 15, compared with 85 men. When asked about the role of women in peace keeping, development, and human rights, the committee said that true democracy and lasting peace cannot be achieved unless women achieve the same rights as men, at all levels of society.

Sirleaf was the first democratically elected female president in Africa. Since her inauguration in 2006, she has contributed to securing peace in Liberia. The President has also worked to improve the position of women within Liberia. Gbowee, is also a political activist within Liberia.

In the early 2000s Gbowee mobilized women across ethnic and religious dividing lines to being an end to the long war in Liberia. Since 2004, she has served as a commissioner on Liberia's truth and reconciliation commission. She also heads the Women in Peace and Security Network, an organization that works with women in Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and the Ivory Coast to promote peace, literacy and political involvement. Karman, the final recipient of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize, is a Yemani journalist. She is also recognized for her organization, Women Journalists without Chains.

By awarding the peace prize to Sirleaf, Gbowee, and Karman the Norwegian council sent a clear message; women are an importance part of peace and security. This message will hopefully increase the number of women who are involved in the peace building process. Currently, less then 10 per cent of all peace agreements are negotiated by women and less then 3 per cent are signed by women. The councils decision to award the peace prize to three women, speaks not only to the wonderful work being accomplished by women all over the world, but to the great potential women can represent in peace and democracy.

-Madeline Lee

SOURCE: UN News

Three Women Received The Nobel Peace Prize For 2011

Last Friday was a good day for women empowerment as this year’s Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to three women for their nonviolent role in promoting peace, democracy and gender equality. These women are President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, the first woman to be elected President in modern Africa, her countrywoman Leymah Gbowee, who is a peace activist, and Tawakkol Karman of Yemen, a pro-democracy campaigner.

These women were acknowledged for their outstanding contribution in bringing change for good in their respective nations. Thorbjorn Jagland, a former Norwegian prime minister who heads the Oslo-based Nobel committee read the citation in announcing the winners, “We cannot achieve democracy and lasting peace in the world unless women obtain the same opportunities as men to influence developments at all levels of society.”

These three women were the first to win the prize in 7 years since Wangari Maathai of Kenya won in 2004. Jagland also described the prize as “a very important signal to women all over the world.” Most of the recipients in the award’s 110-year history have been men, so this award will inspire women all over the world to fight for their rights and causes.

Congratulations to these wonderful women for their excellent win!

-Nisha Noor

SOURCE: THE NEW YORK TIMES

Women in the World

Check out this week's addition of Newsweek magazine, which features the progress of women throughout the world. There are many articles and interviews that are worth checking out including one that will be featured below about Hilary Rodham Clinton's belief that women play an essential role in the global economy:

When you became secretary of state, you said your mission was to improve the quality of life for the world’s women. Three years later, what’s your assessment of the progress made so far?

No society can thrive when half its people are left behind. We have seen what a difference it makes when women have access to education and health care, when they are free to start their own businesses or make their own decisions. As secretary of state, I have been working hard to integrate women’s rights as a cornerstone of our foreign policy. Women are key to the success of the Obama administration’s major development and economic-growth initiatives—from the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves to Feed the Future to the Global Health Initiative. But without basic protections, women are unable to realize their potential. The U.S. successfully advocated for a special representative to coordinate efforts to end sexual violence in areas affected by conflict. An administration National Action Plan will be released shortly to ensure women’s equal partnership in peace and security building. And in Afghanistan, for example, we have elevated the rights and concerns of women as a top diplomatic priority.


The global economy is teetering. How specifically does this endanger the progress of women?

The world needs to think more strategically and creatively about tapping into women’s potential for growth. Studies show that helping women access trade and grow businesses helps create jobs and boost incomes. The State Department and USAID have adopted and advocated for policies and programs—including public-private partnerships—to enable women to overcome barriers that impede their potential and to strengthen women’s entrepreneurship opportunities.

How difficult is it to preach to other nations about empowering women when organizations like the World Economic Forum rank the United States 19th of 134 nations in terms of gender equality?

Frankly, acknowledging our continuing efforts at home helps foster my dialogues abroad on how to change policies, implement programs, and mobilize resources to empower women and girls. While there is much more work that needs to be done in the U.S., women have full and equal political and legal rights and the ability to get an education, start a business, and make decisions about their lives. In too many countries around the world, women do not have these rights. They are often discriminated against, even brutally enslaved, or simply not able to contribute to society or realize their potential. We have an obligation to stand up for their rights.


Do you feel that when you leave the State Department, you’ll have more power to improve the lives of the world’s women and girls than you have had as the nation’s top diplomat?

Throughout my life and career, I’ve tried to support women and children in whatever position I’ve found myself. As secretary of state, I have been fortunate to be able to lend my energy to this important cause, because empowering women is crucial to the success of our development and diplomacy goals. When I leave this position, I will continue to look for ways to help more women and children realize their God-given potential.

(from Newsweek)

-Chelsey Dambro

Source: The Daily Beast

The Women of Sierra Leone Mean Business!

Despite being frequently ignored globally and locally, women play a central role in global food production. In developing countries, it is women who provide the majority of agriculture labor. In fact in sub-Saharan Africa, women produce 70-80% of household food. Yet, these women only own about 1% of the land and are usually left out of the policymaking process regarding agriculture and food production. The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that if women had more access to the support of food production the amount of people without food globally would decrease by 100-150 million.

The impact that women can make in the realm of agriculture is clear in Sierra Leone where Fatmata Sesay has taken the initiative for her community. She has become the head of an organization of farmers, mostly women widowed during the civil war, and is working with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The Government has been working with FAO to ensure that farmers have better access to seeds, machinery, fertilizer and training.

In Sierra Leone seventy percent of the population lives under the poverty line. But, Fatmata Sesay has realized that strength comes in numbers and has been working with these women to move beyond subsistence farming towards commercial based farming. She has begun to branch out to the international market and has seen her profits double. It is believed by Fatmata Sesay, as well as the FAO, that once farmers see that marketing collectively and using high-yielding seeds raises profits, they will continue to grow more crops. This will not only profit themselves and their families, but also will benefit the country as a whole.

Sierra Leone has made enormous progress in eight years since the end of its civil war, greatly due to the perseverance of farmers such as Fatmata Sesay. There is a new major support effort pushing for improved irrigation systems and feeder roads so that farmers are able to market their goods more effectively. Increasing the commercialization of Sierra Leone’s agriculture sector along with promoting farming as a business could be exactly what the country needs to spark sustained economic growth. If the momentum continues, Sierra Leone could be put on the path to greater economic prosperity.

-Gabrielle Gurian

SOURCE: FAO

Happy International Women's Day!

Today, march 11^th 2011, is the International Women’s Day. Not just that. It is the 100^th International Women’s Day. To celebrate this special occasion, there will be more than 1,700 events celebrated in more than 100 countries around the World. The first Women's Day was held in Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden and Germany, and looked forward making a stand for women's rights, such as education, vote, or equality with men.

International Women's Day is celebrated in the whole world, and it is a national holiday in 24 countries: Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Guinea-Bissau, Eritrea, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Madagascar, Moldova, Montenegro,, Mongolia, Nepal, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Zambia. Special events are being held for the 3rd Millennium Development Goal: Gender Equality and Women Empowerment.

Congratulations to all the women in the World!

- David Nebreda

SOURCE: International Women's Day Official Site

IFAD Notes Progress In Gender Equality Goals

The UN International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) said that it has made significant progress in improving gender equality and strengthening the role of women in agriculture production. Following a report by its evaluation committee, IFAD noted that it has adopted three strategies to improve gender equality and women's empowerment. These stretegies include, expanding women's access to assets; strengthening their decision-making role in community affairs; and easing their workload by facilitating access to basic rural services and infrastructure.

IFAD, a specialized agency of the UN is dedicated to eradicating global poverty in developing countries, especially in countries where majority of people's livelihood depends on agriculture and related activities. The agency has already noted significant progress in promoting gender equality and in addressing challenges faced by women in developing countries. But it also outlined several areas where IFAD's performance can be improved. Although compared to other UN agencies IFAD is better positioned, it still needs to improve gender balance by assigning human resources and financial resources in the required field.

-Nisha Noor

SOURCE: NEW KERALA

Pakistan Has New Plans For Women Empowerment

The Minister for Women Development in Pakistan in a recent meeting said that her ministry is formulating a new workplan to make women economically empowered in 2011. At a workshop on "Empowering Women through Legislation", Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan noted that women empowerment has always been a very important issue for her government as women and children are an important segment of the society. The workshop was also attended by various provincial ministers and parilamentary secretaries. The workplan includes, the transformation of various crisis centers for women into development centers that will help women to become self-dependent; the implementation of various programs that will address the problems of female prisoners; and the establishment of women welfare centers in different provinces. The Minister also mentioned that the crisis centers have already been provided with an additional 4,750,000 Rupee for upgradation. The participants at the workshop also agreed to come up with a plan to operationalize all the legislation bills for women.

-Nisha Noor

SOURCE: PAKISTAN NEWS