The World Can’t Go Ahead Without Women, Can It?
By: Sahira Nudar
Tags: Gender Equality, Women Empowerment, Education

I recently watched the Oscar-winning documentary called ‘Period. End Of Sentence.’. After watching the movie, I was reminded of one of Adam Smith’s quotes- “The real tragedy of the poor is the poverty of their aspirations.”. This quote inspired me to take a little step to support underprivileged rural girls in my village. So, I have started an online school via Zoom, where I try to motivate them to dream. I am also planning to sell my artworks, and use the money raised to buy them books, copies and stationery in order to encourage them to continue studying.

It will be 2021 soon, and women empowerment is still a distant goal.

In many countries around the world, including my own, Bangladesh, many girls face barriers to receiving education. Poverty, religion, violence and social norms are some of them.

In our country, child marriage is still one of the biggest reasons why many girls of my age cannot go to schools. A child bride usually drops out of school and starts working in her in-laws' house. Then it depends on her husband and in-laws if they will support her to continue her education.

Child marriage leads to early motherhood. In Bangladesh, where marital fertility rate is the highest between ages 15 and 19, it can be concluded that many girls cannot continue their education after higher secondary level.

In Bangladesh, primary and secondary education is financed by the state, and is free of cost in public schools. However, the problem lies with the mindset of our society.

“She will be eighteen soon; it’s time to get her married.”

“Make her learn cooking instead of reading those useless books.”

Girls from better economic status are less likely to face such gender-based cultural barriers, but they are still discriminated in a ‘sophisticated' way.

Gender disparity is more prominent in the rural areas of our country, where people have asymmetric information; they think that educating girls is a waste of money. The irony is that this harmful mindset exists in a country where the Prime Minister is a woman herself.

Motivating parents to send their daughters to schools is a big challenge, especially in the rural areas of our country.

The Government can execute more campaigns in the rural areas to inform people that educating girls can uplift their families, socities and the country as a whole.

The Government can also give financial incentives to parents to encourage them to send their daughters to schools. Making student loans less expensive can be an example.

Helping rural women become competent and financially independent is also important in order to reduce gender discrimination. If these rural women can earn money on their own, they do not have to depend on their parents, husbands or in-laws. However, to make these rural women work outdoors, the Government has to create more opportunities.

In the movie, ‘Period. End Of Sentence.’, a group of rural women in a village in India learn how to operate a sanitary pad making machine, and strive towards financial independence. Similar opportunities can help rural women in our country to stand on their own feet.

The Government can also provide financial support to rural women to start small businesses. For example, they can each be given a number of chickens to look after, and then sell the eggs. This idea may seem to be lame, but even earning a little money can bring joy to these rural women, who are always looked down upon. Just give them a little confidence, and they will accomplish anything!

Today, girls are doing wonders in almost every field. Times are changing, but the mindset of some people is not easy to change.

So, while they realise that the world can’t go ahead without women, let’s all support girls in fulfilling their dreams. I have taken a small step, so can you.