The Situation…
The Girl Effect…Yes, we’ve come a long way toward gender equality in western countries like the United States, but discrimination against girls and women is still very pronounced in many developing countries, and it begins with the unequal treatment of girls. This excellent video sums it up…
Important Data…
From The Girl Effect website:
- When a girl in the developing world receives seven or more years of education, she marries four years later and has 2.2 fewer children.(United Nations Population Fund, State of World Population 1990.)
- An extra year of primary school boosts girls’ eventual wages by 10 to 20 percent. An extra year of secondary school: 15 to 25 percent. (George Psacharopoulos and Harry Anthony Patrinos, “Returns to Investment in Education: A Further Update,” Policy Research Working Paper 2881[Washington, D.C.: World Bank, 2002].)
- Research in developing countries has shown a consistent relationship between better infant and child health and higher levels of schooling among mothers. (George T. Bicego and J. Ties Boerma, “Maternal Education and Child Survival: A Comparative Study of Survey Data from 17 Countries,” Social Science and Medicine 36 (9) [May 1993]: 1207–27.)
- When women and girls earn income, they reinvest 90 percent of it into their families, as compared to only 30 to 40 percent for a man. (Chris Fortson, “Women’s Rights Vital for Developing World,” Yale News Daily 2003.)
- Approximately one-quarter of girls in developing countries are not in school. (Cynthia B. Lloyd, ed., Growing Up Global: The Changing Transitions to Adulthood in Developing Countries [Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press, 2005].)
- Out of the world’s 130 million out-of-school youth, 70 percent are girls. (Human Rights Watch, “Promises Broken: An Assessment of Children’s Rights on the 10th Anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child,” www.hrw.org/campaigns/crp/promises/education.html [December 1999].)
What Have I Done to Help?
I first focused on this when I taught a Politics of Developing Countries course for several years at Butte College near Chico, California in the 1990s. I discussed how the empowerment of women and girls was crucial for improving health, human rights, environmental quality, and living standards. I also examined the same issues when I taught international relations courses at the same institution and at nearby Shasta College.
I’ve also given substantial money to international charities, including the Global Fund for Women.
Here in the United States I’ve made donations to local groups that help battered women get out of abusive situations and rebuild their lives.
What Can You Do to Help?
There are many things you can do. Here’s a partial list:
1. Get more education on the issue by visiting The Girl Effect website.
2. Find out what other bloggers are saying and sharing about The Girl Effect here.
3. Share this blog post and the information on The Girl Effect site on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, forums, and any other site that is appropriate.
4. Find charities doing good work that helps girls in developing countries and make a donation.
Your Take
What are your thoughts on the importance of educating girls, especially in developing countries? What do you think of The Girl Effect campaign? What are the best ways to help? Tell us below…
{ 27 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank you so much for sharing this. Young girls have the right to be young girls, not getting forced into marriage and having a child. I’m going to visit the site and definitely do an article on the Girl Effect as well.
You’re welcome Rochelle. I’m glad you’re writing your own post. Feel free to leave another comment when you’ve finished and the CommentLuv should pick it up and share it with us.
John Soares recently posted…Why Writers Must Avoid Perfectionism
Thank you for sharing this interesting post John, I agree with you Rochelle.
Twitter: @BioScientific
Wonderful post, John. Such a poignant focus too. I think it’s well known that pretty much anywhere in the world, it’s the females who tend to be the caregivers in any family. Empowering and educating young girls goes a huge way improving their quality of life, as well as what they can do for their families.
Nicky Parry recently posted…HIV/AIDS and the Girl Effect
Thank you Nicky. Empowering girls and women is crucial to ameliorating many of the problems in developing nations — and the developed nations.
And I love your Girl Effect post: just retweeted it.
John Soares recently posted…My Review of Carol Tice’s Freelance Writers Den Membership Site
Twitter: @annewayman
As a long-time supporter of women’s rights I’m always surprised at how far we have to go. It’s also super wonderful to see/read what a man has to say about all this… very encouraging.
Big virtual hugs.
Anne Wayman recently posted…8 Steps For Landing That Freelance Writing Job
Thank you Anne!
John Soares recently posted…Writing Ergonomics: Top Tips for Proper Posture, Alignment, and Movement
Twitter: @rzive
Such a lovely post John, and I’m so happy to see that you are plugging for a charitable enterprise. I just wrote a guest about this over at Jens Berget’s blog. Bravo!
Ruth – The Freelance Writing Blog recently posted…9 Ways to Land Freelance Writing Gigs in the Technology Sector
Thanks for your kind words Ruth. And I really like your post over at Jens’s blog.
John Soares recently posted…Seven Key Steps for Finding, Evaluating, and Implementing Good Ideas
Good post, John. IMO, girls and women deserve every right that boys and men enjoy. Period. As a university professor in Hayward, California (just south of Oakland), I found over the years that we had more and more female students. When I retired 3 years ago, there were approximately 65% women in my business classes. I hope that means there will be a corresponding number of successful women in the working world.
Eric Soares recently posted…Neptune’s Rangers complete the Big Sur Challenge
Twitter: @doolin
Great article, John. I can say from personal experience that top notch engineering schools have a very hard time finding women for faculty positions. I can also say that it’s not for lack of looking.
Dave Doolin recently posted…Content Curation is it Real or Just Another Sleazy Marketing Ploy?
Twitter: @in_expatland
John, this was the 3rd post I saw today on this topic but the one that really called to action. Thanks for raising awareness and action.
linda@adventuresinexpatland.com recently posted…Considering the Girl Effect
There was a great response. Overall I think at least 300 bloggers wrote about the Girl Effect, including you!
John Soares recently posted…When You Should Write a New Edition of Your Book or Ebook
Twitter: @livefreerange
Thanks John, I couldn’t agree more that we need to remind people that the equalities we share in the west are not a reality in the developing world.
I don’t know if you’ve read Half the Sky by Nick Kristof but it was the stories of girls being sold into slavery to pay for the education of their brothers that inspired me to raise money to build a school in Cambodia in memory of my mum. That’s going to be one of my contributions to improve the situation for girls but there is so much more to be done.
My mum was only here long enough to inspire my family and our small community in Scotland, now it’s my turn to use my time to spread the word about empowerment and girls education even further.
Thank you so much for helping spread the word.
Jennifer D Begg recently posted…I dare you to look at a girl and see the solution
Jennifer, I’m so glad you participated in the Girl Effect this week, but I’m especially impressed with the work you’re doing in Cambodia. I just looked at Nick Kristof’s Half the Sky on Amazon and it looks like a great book.
John Soares recently posted…My Review of Carol Tice’s Freelance Writers Den Membership Site
John – thanks for bringing this to our attention!
Tom McGuire recently posted…CLEAR CREEK OF THE SISKIYOUS: Timeless Rhythms, Eternal Cycles Persist Through the Years at Gorgeous Klamath River Tributary
Twitter: @kingskiddd1
Great article to be placed on the highest platform John! I commend you for writing this type of empowerment to our young women. I love to read articles and post that build people instead of tearing them down. Loving what you’re doing over here at Productive Writers. I’ll definitely be returning. Thanks for sharing the site as well.
Deeone recently posted…Speaking Life Into Your Situation
I really appreciate the praise Deeone. Thanks for stopping by and I do hope we see you again.
John Soares recently posted…Why Writers Must Avoid Perfectionism
Twitter: @a_creative_life
It’s so great to see a Girl Effect post written by a man, John! Thanks for adding your voice as an ally to women and girls.
Melissa Dinwiddie recently posted…Luck, Opportunity, and the Girl Effect
Thanks Melissa! I was surprised that so few men posted. This issue is important for all of us.
John Soares recently posted…Why Writers Must Avoid Perfectionism
Twitter: @RukminiFund
Thank you John for this wonderful post. It is refreshing to hear that you are educating people on this important topic and your perspective is dead on. This campaign has been great, and it is inspiring to see how many people care enough to put themselves out there to promote this noble effort. Again, thank you for this wonderful post and please continue to educate people about the power of these girls to change their own world.
- Bibhuti
Very glad to help out Bibhuti.
And it looks like you are doing very good work for girls over at the Rukmini Foundation.
John Soares recently posted…How to Capture, Save, and Review Your Freelance Writing Ideas
Twitter: @RukminiFund
Thank you John. We are trying. This coming school year, we will be providing schooling, regular check-ups and mentoring to (9-10) girls from rural areas near a place called Pharping, which is roughly 15-20 kilometers outside of Kathmandu. Next year, we will be visiting other surrounding rural areas to identify and support 10-20 girls that would like the opportunity to go to school but their families can’t afford to keep them in school.
Keep checking on us to see how we are doing.
Namaste,
Bibhuti
That’s great Bibhuti! Thanks for sharing what you’re doing.
John Soares recently posted…Writing Ergonomics: Top Tips for Proper Posture, Alignment, and Movement
It is sad that a lot of girls are not receiving proper education even in developing countries. 70 percent of the 130 millions is really a huge number. I am glad that you gave suggestions on how I can help. I will what I can. Thank you for the info.
Steven recently posted…how to get a girl to like you
Twitter: @problogsuccess
John, thanks for sharing this valuable and good cause post. I couldn’t agree more with the “facts” here!
Jane | Tech Buzz Online recently posted…Drop more on Dropbox with HTC smartphones
Girls nowadays with proper education can work and earn equally to man. And your post really helps a lot to spread information about the importance of woman all over the world. We should give what is due to woman. Thanks for sharing this wonderful information.
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