The Impact of Women Empowerment and Education in Community Development and Poverty Reduction

The Impact of Women Empowerment and Education in Community Development and Poverty Reduction

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Introduction

Education saves and improves the lives of girls and women, ultimately leading to more equitable development, stronger families, better services, better child health. Educating girls has a wide-ranging impact on society and human development. Education plays a key role in building the capacity of an individual to grow and assist others in the community. Today, the enrollment of women in academic institutions has increased across the world and this pronounces good news to upcoming communities. Sustainable development is a key aspect of building a strong society and a country at large. One of the key boosters to the needed development is to have a society where people are educated and patriciate in income generating activities. For many years, women have been locked out of the key sustainable development agendas due to the lack of education mainly in developing countries. One of the key aspects of education is that is has enabled women to have voice needed in the collective growth and empowerment. Girls education has facilitated a more inclusive agenda that has shown great potential in building a strong society. To enhance the development and growth in a country, it is good to bring all on brad through an inclusive education platform. The development matters were therefore left for men who took control and underlined women in all forms even at family level.

Background

The women who were less educated were left to handle household chores and thus hardly contributed to the development works. Times have changed and the world is starting to realize than women are equally vital in ensuring substantiable development when they are educated (Vladimirova et al., 2015). The UN through its women development agencies as well as private sectors are joining hands in promoting girl child education and empowerment. These efforts are already paying up with more people finding strength in building room for education for girls thus assisting in realizing collective growth. Studies have shown that unlike the past, today, 6 out of 10 women are receiving basic and college level education in Africa. One of the key aspects of women education is that it is centered to giving them key skills in handing family matters that are the key to a stable society (Skovdal & Campbell, 2015). More women are gaining high level education like college and even degrees than in the past. The UN though its global education advocacy agencies has highlighted that it forecast to ensure a 100% girl child enrollment in school by 2030. The approach is seen to build a strong pillar that will help societies realize their goals and sustainability.

Research objective

This research seeks to investigate the impact of women empowerment and education ion community development and poverty reduction.

Research Question

How does women empowerment through education play a role in reducing poverty and community development?

Literature Review

The value of girl child education needs to be upheld as a way of fighting poverty and uplifting societies. Women play a central role in enhancing societal development and this is even more effective when they undergo through education (Au, Brown & Calderón, 2016). The UN outlines that “an educated woman equals a stable family and society.” This statement is well confirmed by the current global education agendas that show that women are increasingly playing a circular role in their communities thereby uplifting livelihoods and the society in general. The modern education system is well established to accommodate girls that shows the tremendous efforts being put to bring women on broad in society building. There are even women who are participating in leadership that is a good picture when trying to create an al round society. The UN projects that the African Girl Child Project will see all girls undergo through basic education to the college level by the year 2035. These projects only show that the world is trying to take a new direction by accommodating girls in the collective growth agenda through education (Nilsson et al., 2016). Moreover, the value of education among women is showing huge benefits when it comes to the overall growth and inclusivity.

The high number of women getting to colleges and taking up jobs is adding to the image of a society and country in general. The key focus in this global education boost for girls is to build a future where all can participate in society building (Wetheridge, 2016). There are many benefits to educating women as already seen in developed countries. Today, women are laying an equal role as men and thus there is a need to empower and educate them at all cost (Shettima, 2016). Girls education has facilitated a more inclusive agenda that has shown great potential in building a strong society. To enhance the development and growth in a country, it is good to bring all on brad through an inclusive education platform (Vladimirova et al., 2015). Over the past five years, the inclusivity of women in education in developed countries has grown by 40%.

Education raises the status of women and this makes them strategically placed to participate in collective development. Through learning, women are able to understand the scopes of growth and development that increases the need for a more inclusive education for women (Skovdal & Campbell, 2015). The other benefit of bringing women in education is that it makes them aware of the surroundings and the demands in life. For this reason, the global forecast should be centered within the women education that will ensure that all persons feel accommodated to build a strong society. Education as a platform can help woman take part in nations building affairs that are already bring value to the people. There is a need to include women in developmental economics that are meant to derive the right outlook of the society (Au, Brown & Calderón, 2016). For example, over the years, the value of girl education has increased. Research in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries found that level of education has a “substantial impact on employment prospects”.

The data produced by the UNDP shows that there is an increased uptake of girls in learning institutions that makes them more compelled to build a strong society (Sheehan et al., 2017). Moreover, the value of girl education is gaining speed as more people supporting girl child education thus creating an all-inclusive world. The global education records show that developing countries mainly in Africa have realized the need to educate women (Nilsson et al., 2016). One of the driving forces in the boosting of women education is that it has laid down a more open outlook to the societal development.

The other benefit of educating women as a developmental avenue is that educated women are more likely to have stable and strong families. The educated women secure employment where they sue the income to better the lives of the children (Vladimirova et al., 2015). The other outlook is that an educated woman is more likely to handle the family better health-wise this bring up more health children than uneducated woman. The core value in this is that educated women are the pillars to a stable and stable family where they are able to create an all-inclusive family(Skovdal & Campbell, 2015) . Education also enabled the women to realize the need for a manageable family size thus avoiding cases of oversized families. Studies have shown that women who undergo college and secure jobs get an average of two children. This is a paramount when trying to lay ground for manageable families and the society in general. One thing to note is that one of the causes for poverty in developing nations is the issue of oversized and unmanageable families that lead to the issue of breakup and street children (Wetheridge, 2016). Educating women will help learn how to have manageable families with the number of children they can comfortably feed and educate. This goes a long way in promoting sustainable development.

Investing in the education of girls brings high returns in terms of breaking cycles of poverty and aiding economic growth but it also improves children’s and women’s survival rates and health, delays child marriage and early pregnancies, empowers women both in the home and the workplace, and helps tackle climate change (Au, Brown & Calderón, 2016). Women education can go far in preventing early marriages and teenage pregnancies. One of the core issues noted in African and other poor regions is that girls who come from poor communities end up being forced into early marriages. The issue is a major cause of poverty increase as these girls hardly know how to handle marriage or even control the number of children they raise. This issue has been addressed under the UN global sustainable development forums that shows that education is the only tool that can eradicate the problem (Nilsson et al., 2016). Teenage pregnancies are one of the causes of street children menace as the children born out of unplanned cases end up being left by their parents as they are unable to feed them or provide shelter (Fredman et al., 2016). The issue of street children and homelessness is even attributed to the cases of early pregnancies and oversized families (Vladimirova et al., 2015). To curb this issue, there is a need to educate girls to enlighten them on the basic values and ideas on life. When girls are taken to school, they are able to escape many dangers like forced marriages and thus ensure their safety and empowerment.

Vladimirovaa (2015) studied the relationship between education and community development and attainment of sustainable goals. One of the key aspects of women education is that is becoming more welcomed globally and this spells good news for girls worldwide. The study found that girl education has received a 24% increased budget under the UN education promotion agenda in the past five years. This approach has not only added to the vibrant efforts but also added to the recognition of the role women play in the society. The scholar also added that in order to make women feel appreciated, it is good to give them a chance to prove themselves reliable in the society. In his remarks, the author added that one of the key attributes of girl education is that it is becoming a key value to global development.

Skovdal (2015) assessed the relationship between developmental goals and education. The author argued that the key to community development is to create a tangible platform where learners can gain knowledge so that they can add value to the society. In his assessment, the author stated that girl education is helping women come out of poverty and thus helping the community develop. Moreover, the study found that women empowerment is one of the main ways to eradicate poverty and has to start with educating them on key ideas. The increased enrollment of girls in schools is a good image that shows that the world has a bright future in the years to come.

Nilsson (2016) did a study on the role of education in bringing a society out of poverty and creating the right platform for development. One of the ways the world is going to develop is through education for all that has to include women. The study found that the more girls enroll for school, the more a society develops as they become important force that helps attain key goals. For example, the value added to a woman life through education is vital in bringing up stable families and this ensures a healthy and stable society. The other outlook in this is the link between learning and critical and mature thinking. The author stated that the need to have an inclusive education is vital as it brings all on board and this is vital in enlightment and stability. The author concluded that education for women should be supported at all cost because its rewards are worth the effort.

The other way to look at this is to assess the relationship between education and development. One of the key ways to look at the value of education is to investigate the impact it has on an individual and the society in general. The value of education is built around creating the right outlet for ideas though employment. Women are increasingly taking up roles in the society that helps improve the livelihood at family level. Women education can go far in preventing early marriages and teenage pregnancies. One of the core issues noted in African and other poor regions is that girls who come from poor communities end up being forced into early marriages. The issue is a major cause of poverty increase as these girls hardly know how to handle marriage or even control the number of children they raise.

Conclusion

Education empowers women to take up to roles and build a society that in return benefits everyone. One of the key aspects of collective global development is to create an all-inclusive approach to growth that can only happen when all participate. Women participation in the society is becoming a norm that goes contrary to the past days when they could only handle household chores. To create a lasting and stable society, there is a need to derive the right an approach that allows all people to participate including women. One of the key aspects of education is that is has enabled women to have voice needed in the collective growth and empowerment.

References

Au, W., Brown, A. L., & Calderón, D. (2016). Reclaiming the multicultural roots of US curriculum: Communities of color and official knowledge in education. Teachers College Press.

Fredman, S., Kuosmanen, J., & Campbell, M. (2016). Transformative equality: Making the sustainable development goals work for women. Ethics & International Affairs, 30(2), 177-187.

Nilsson, M., Griggs, D., & Visbeck, M. (2016). Policy: map the interactions between Sustainable Development Goals. Nature, 534(7607), 320-322.

Sheehan, P., Sweeny, K., Rasmussen, B., Wils, A., Friedman, H. S., Mahon, J., … & Stenberg, K. (2017). Building the foundations for sustainable development: a case for global investment in the capabilities of adolescents. The Lancet, 390(10104), 1792-1806.

Shettima, K. (2016). Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in Africa: call for a paradigm shift. African journal of reproductive health, 20(3), 19-21.

Skovdal, M., & Campbell, C. (2015). Beyond education: What role can schools play in the support and protection of children in extreme settings?. International Journal of Educational Development, 41, 175-183.

Vladimirovaa, K., & Le Blanc, D. (2015). How Well are the Links Between Education and Other Sustainable Development Goals Covered in UN Flagship Reports?: A Contribution to the Study of the Science-Policy Interface on Education in the UN System (October 2015).

Wetheridge, L. (2016). Girls’ and women’s literacy with a lifelong learning perspective: issues, trends and implications for the Sustainable Development Goals.