Women’s empowerment is about promoting women’s sense of self-worth, their ability to make choices, and their right to influence social change. It involves improving their access to education, healthcare, economic opportunities, and political participation, as well as challenging social norms that perpetuate gender-based discrimination and violence.
Despite progress, women and girls still face significant barriers to empowerment and equality worldwide. International Women’s Empowerment Day and similar initiatives are important for driving change.
1. The Women’s Empowerment Principles
The Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) are a set of guidelines created by the UN Global Compact and UN Women to promote gender equality in the workplace, marketplace, and community. The WEPs consists of seven principles that businesses and organizations can adopt to support women’s empowerment.
These principles include creating high-level corporate leadership for gender equality, treating all people fairly and with respect, ensuring the health and safety of workers, promoting education and professional development for women, implementing supply chain and marketing practices that empower women, championing equality through community initiatives and advocacy, and measuring and reporting on progress towards gender equality.
By adopting the WEPs, businesses, and organizations can help to create more inclusive and equitable environments for women, and contribute to a more just and sustainable world for all.
2. Empowering women can play a vital role in breaking the cycle of poverty for families worldwide
Studies by the Brookings Institution indicate that with each additional year of education, girls can expect an average increase of 12-15% in their eventual wages, which they often reinvest into their families. Empowered and educated girls have better opportunities for education, healthier children, and increased earning potential, leading to more financial stability and breaking the cycle of poverty for future generations.
3. The state of women’s empowerment worldwide.
Gender equality is not only a basic human right but also a crucial factor for achieving a peaceful and prosperous world. Despite this, women and girls continue to face numerous challenges around the globe, including underrepresentation in positions of power and decision-making, pay disparities for equal work, and legal barriers that limit their opportunities in the workplace.
In many developing countries, girls and women are undervalued and often forced to stay home to perform domestic duties or are married off at a young age for a dowry.
Shockingly, approximately 12 million underage girls are married every year. While progress is being made in some areas, there is still a great deal of work to be done to address the issue of gender inequality.
4. What are some ways to promote the empowerment of women and girls?
Investing in and supporting women is a critical first step toward promoting gender equality. At World Vision, our work is rooted in the belief that gender equality is a fundamental right. There are various ways to support the empowerment of women in developing countries:
Stay updated: Explore World Vision’s initiatives to address gender inequality and empower girls.
Enlighten yourself: Learn about the challenges that impact girls and women, such as child marriage, and spread awareness to others.
Support women: Sponsoring women can provide them with the resources needed to receive an education and claim the rights she deserves. This is a vital means of empowering girls to grow up and become change-makers for their generation and the next.
Buy gender empowerment gifts: World Vision offers a range of gifts that contribute to the investment and development of women and girls. By purchasing these gifts, you can help support the empowerment of women and make a positive impact in their lives.
Final Thoughts:
In conclusion, women’s empowerment is critical for achieving gender equality and creating a more just and sustainable world. Despite progress, women and girls continue to face significant barriers to empowerment and equality worldwide.
The Women’s Empowerment Principles provide guidelines for businesses and organizations to support women’s empowerment, and investing in and supporting women is a critical step toward promoting gender equality.
By promoting education, challenging social norms, and supporting women and girls, we can unleash the power of women and contribute to a more equitable and prosperous world for all.
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