The girls understood Gloria's point perfectly - they were the ones who would have to challenge the traditional attitudes which held them back. Recognizing that the girls would face obstacles when they returned to their villages after the conference, all of us who served as discussion leaders probed for answers that the young women might offer to members of their families who objected to the idea of gender equality. We will not have enough teachers, pilots, doctors or government workers if boys are the only ones who are educated. Without us, Eritrea will not recover from the war. This girl's idea that Eritrea needs educated women to contribute to the country's economic development was instinctively accurate.
Results are usually quick and have visible effects on development.
As long as opportunities for women improve, it doesn't matter whether the motives of those who help are based on a sense of justice, or on economic self-interest. The government is all too aware that it cannot move too far or too fast to promote gender equality. Despite such cautious behavior, we witnessed many examples of women changing the face of Eritrea over the course of our two-week visit. By owning a donkey, these women also generate income by delivering water to others. When we visited the small matrilineal Kunama ethnic group, we saw vivid proof that gender balance has ancient roots in some parts of Eritrea.