Saturday, March 31, 2012

day 28 - a couple of microfinance videos


We discussed microfinance and its impact on women earlier in the project. Even more than creating income, a microfinance business can help a woman to become an economic, as well as political and social leader, within her village. I’d like to share two videos with you highlighting microfinance: the first is from the Kiva Microfund Organization; the second is from the Grameen Bank, the organization established by the winner of the 2006 Nobel Prize, Muhammad Yunus:





As you can see, a small donation can help start a sustainable business for a woman in a developing nation. Women can learn how to run a business with an education; furthermore, with additional income, a woman can send her children to school and create a cycle of education and income.

Janna

day 27 - gender equality: closer through education


I’m sorry I haven’t updated in the past few days… I’ve had a lot going on with papers for school and hearing back from colleges. I’m trying to catch up on the blog, so this will be the post for Tuesday. Thank you for your patience! :)

I’d like to discuss gender equality – or lack thereof – in developing nations. Let’s look at some statistics from the World Bank and consider their implication for women:

  • “Nearly 4 million women go ‘missing’ each year in developing countries.”
Missing? That seems a bit drastic, no? But this is a real phenomenon in developing nations. Consider: According to the World Bank, “2/5 of girls are never born due to a preference for sons”. Add to that the number of girls who may die of preventable childhood illnesses because her value is less than a family is willing to afford to pay to see a doctor. Add to that the number of women that are trafficked and disappear from their village, or women who die in childbirth. The number is astounding. True, some countries that are engaged in civil conflict see an excess of females because men are dying in war. But the overwhelming statistic is that women are unaccounted for, and simply disappear.

  • “Women are responsible for 60 to 80 percent of all house and care work.”
Women’s roles are set, are ingrained as tradition in many developing nations: the more masculine tasks are assigned to the males, and the traditional “female” tasks are assigned to the women. I know this sounds obvious, but let’s consider something: If a woman is confined to her home to prepare meals, to care for children, and to do tasks such as laundry, there is very little time when she is outside of the house. Add societal restraints that prevent women from leaving the home, and this confines her even more so.

The implications to this statistic are that, by being automatically relegated to perform these tasks, women face a far greater disadvantage than simply “not sharing the housework”. If a woman is home almost all of the time, there is no time – nor opportunity – for her to participate in local government systems. Her voice is not heard, and thus, she is not represented.  She is unable to own or manage land, or become a strong economic presence by selling goods in the marketplace.

Let’s look at a more positive statistic:
  
  • According to the World Bank, “Since 1999, South Asia has decreased its total number of out-of-school females from 23 million to 9.5 million.  This 59% decrease shows steady progress towards achieving more equitable access to education. Sub Saharan Africa has also decreased its total by 30% from 24.8 million out-of-school girls in 1999 to 17.3 million in 2008.”
Though girls (especially in the aforementioned regions) still tend to have less access to education than boys do, this is a great step towards improving gender equality. Progress is indeed possible; and we can help improve gender equality worldwide by supporting women’s education.

With an education, women obtain opportunities to further promote gender equality, such as owning a business, participating in representative government, and acting as important advocates for social issues. Equality is still a major issue, but certainly one on which we're making progress.

Janna

Monday, March 26, 2012

day 26 - cost-benefit analysis

Here is a small breakdown of costs for women’s education (Camfed.org):

$25 – One year of primary school education
$25 – Pair of shoes so a child can walk to school
$40 – Cost of a uniform to attend school
$300 – One year of secondary school education

Multiply this by the United Nations estimate of 35 million girls worldwide that are not in school, and the total costs seem far more than we could even hope to afford.

But despite the expense, we must look at the cost of not offering an education. Consider: According to the Government Accountability Office, the United States spends $3.3 billion on HIV/AIDS relief aid in foreign countries. , and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (http://www.theglobalfund.org/en/) has spent $22.6 billion in relief to date. This is an impressive sum, and relief organizations should be lauded for their commitment to eradicating these diseases in developing nations. But unless relief truly targets the roots of the problem, aid may be simply a temporary relief, used to put out metaphorical fires instead of preventing them.

As discussed yesterday, an educated woman is three times less likely to acquire HIV/AIDS in her lifetime, and is more likely to recognize the positive impact of health services, such as vaccinations, for her family. Therefore, an educated woman will be less likely to need emergency aid – such as HIV antiviral medicine or malaria antibiotics – because her education will already have awakened her to the positive impact of prevention. If funds were spent educating women at the first step – that of grassroots levels – relief funds might not be required in such large amounts to respond, ex post facto, to these problems.

A frequent government budget question is: Can we really afford to educate women?

My question is: Can we really afford not to?

Janna

Sunday, March 25, 2012

day 25 - the connection between education and health

Core subjects at my school: math, English, science, history, foreign language. But an education isn’t restricted to these subjects. A secondary aspect of educating women in developing nations is how their education will positively impact other areas of their lives - of these, perhaps the most notable is the effect of an education on women’s health.

According to the United Nations Population Fund and the Global Campaign for Education, “Schools can be a primary source of information about prevention methods in the fight against HIV. New analysis by the Global Campaign for Education suggests that if all children received a complete primary education, the economic impact of HIV/AIDS could be greatly reduced and around 700,000 cases of HIV in young adults could be prevented each year—seven million in a decade.”

We also see two distinct possible scenarios: the first, the effect of HIV/AIDS on education; the second, the effect of education on HIV/AIDS prevention. Consider: “Children in families affected by AIDS are more likely than others to be taken out of school. Illness prevents family members from earning an income. Girls are also more likely than boys to leave school to care for family members who are ill or to support siblings when parents die of AIDS” (Global Coalition on Women and AIDS).

But with an education, people are more likely to delay sexual activity and to know prevention methods. The Campaign for Female Education estimates that an educated woman will be three times less likely to acquire HIV/AIDS in her lifetime. She also earns an average 25% more income, which may be used to provide her children with an education. In turn, with an education, her children are less likely to acquire HIV/AIDS and also provide education for their own children.

Educated women are more likely to recognize the impact of, and seek, health services (such as vaccinations) for their children, reducing the risk of their children dying of preventable diseases. Women with an education are also more likely to oppose the practice of female genital mutilation (FGB), a traditional practice to preserve a girl’s virginity until marriage. (United Nations Population Fund)

With an education, a girl can learn to read, a skill for the rest of her life. She can learn how to do math, and maybe even start her own microfinance business. But the positive effects of women’s education spread far beyond the reach of a schoolhouse: Education improves the health of women and their families, and perpetuates a cycle of education and health in future generations.

Janna

Saturday, March 24, 2012

day 24 - on empowerment


I’m involved with music and violin, and usually do a couple of auditions and competitions each year. I used to get really nervous to the point where I would start to shake – not exactly the best for violin. But before one of these auditions last year, my friend told me to just be fearless.

Be fearless.

Such a simple statement, and yet it really resonated with me. I thought about those words. What did I have to be afraid of? The opportunity was there. There was nothing to lose, but everything to gain.

Fearless. Such are the words to describe women’s empowerment in developing nations. Women have the potential to do anything – improve their family’s health, create a business, enact social change – if only they are given the opportunity. Education can give women this opportunity by teaching them business or vocational skills (such as weaving or embroidery) to earn a living. And by simply giving girls an education, we are taking an important step towards gender equality: by providing an education regardless of gender, not only are women recognized as important contributors to society and politics, but also, in the words of the United Nations, “free and equal in dignity and rights”.

Please read this Camfed case study about women’s potential and empowerment:

Cindy was born into a wealthy family, but by the time she was four, her parents had both died of AIDS. She moved from one extended family member’s house to another, forced to do household chores instead of attending school. “One day, I worried that this would just go on and on. I wanted to go back to school,” she says. So she left, and went to live with another aunt, who supported her dreams of getting an education. Then Camfed began supporting her. Now Cindy is nearly at the top of her high school class, and she hopes to become Zambia’s chief justice one day. “I want to provide justice for all,” she says.“It is not the end of the world to be an orphan,” she says. “It will not be the end of me. I’m a girl who has seen lots of things, and I haven’t lost my determination.”

By providing women with an education, there is nothing to lose – and everything to gain. Educated and empowered women recognize their potential. They are confident. They are the catalysts, not only to social change, but to changing the world. Please consider making a charitable donation to help empower women in rural Africa through education.

“Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” -Marianne Williamson

“If I only get the chance, I will do something great." -Campaign for Female Education

Janna

Friday, March 23, 2012

day 23 - United Nations Declaration of Rights


In my Spanish class at school, we’ve been reading the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Among those outlined are the rights to life, liberty, and security of person, equal protection of the law, and the right to an education. (You can read the Declaration here.)

But unfortunately, a fair number of these civil liberties are not observed in other countries, especially with regard to women. Let’s look at some of the rights in the Declaration:


Article 3
No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.
As discussed earlier this month, sex trafficking and forced prostitution is modern-day slavery. Yet we still permit slavery to continue. Women are denied the human right to live without being enslaved. And forced labor (for both genders) still exists: Check out the CNN Freedom Project here.


Article 7
All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.
According to the United Nations Rule of Law discussion on gender equality, there remain countries that discriminate against women, prohibiting them from testifying in court. Not only is this a violation of a basic human right to justice; it undermines the entire justice system, essentially giving males more credibility in court. Think about it: A woman may not even have the right to give her testimony of a crime committed against her. How is this, in any sense, “justice”?


Article 17
(1) Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others.
(2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.
Women are often denied the right to own property. The New York Times estimates that only 1% of women worldwide own property. This number seems somewhat backward: in some agrarian societies, according to the World Economic Forum, women may produce between 70% of agriculture and 90% of food, yet they are not given the right to own the land on which they work. A UN report attributes this phenomenon in part to the passing of land ownership to male relatives, not to his wife, when a landowning man dies. The woman may then be forced off of her husband’s land to seek work and shelter elsewhere, often without access to sanitation and income as she had prior (United Nations – Women’s Property rights).


Article 21
Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives. 
Political participation is a good indicator of the health of a country’s rights for women. Those countries that have greater female participation may have more representation as well. However, sometimes these percentages of female participation are only used as quotas, a figurehead of sorts: Women may be relegated from more serious issues to those deemed less-important or more female issues (Parlimentarians for Conflict Prevention, East-West Institute). Half the Sky suggests that there is even a correlation between countries with especially low female participation in government, and the high level of terrorism in those countries due to largely male-controlled government systems.


Article 25
Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
Developing nations face a high level of maternal morbidity, or injuries sustained in childbirth (Half the Sky). In Africa, one of these injuries, called obstetric fistula, is especially common, resulting from the tearing of the bladder or bowels during childbirth. Without control of these organs, women suffering from fistulas drip these excretory wastes constantly, and face ostracism from their families and from society. This is certainly a “circumstance beyond her control”; yet women suffering from fistula and that cannot afford surgery may be forced out of their homes, lacking “adequate living for health and well being”, as well as “medical care in the event of disability”.


Article 26 (This is a big one for this project!)
Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
“Everyone has the right to an education”, regardless of gender. Girls have as much a right to an education as much as boys do.  “Education shall be free”, guaranteeing children from the poorest areas the same right to an education. And “education shall be compulsory” – not dependent on whether a family determines whether or not their child should go to school or stay home to work. I understand that there are social factors that would necessitate a child’s staying home to earn money to help their family, but I support the idea of free education to make it more accessible for all students.


Article 29
Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible.
In countries that choose not to allow the education of half their population, the “free and full development” of women is not possible. By recognizing women through education, we can recognize – and encourage – their empowerment and their contributions to society.

And the most basic aspect of the Declaration:


Article 1
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Women and men are born free and equal. Let us recognize this statement, not in theory, but in reality.

By providing a woman with an education, we are promoting gender equality: whether it may be in government representation, health, or simply in basic rights. And through the education of a woman, we are closer to realizing that “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights”.

Janna

Thursday, March 22, 2012

day 22 - camfed case study: "ripple effect"


In this Camfed case study, we see  how educated girls may return to their communities to improve them – whether it may be improvement in education, health, the economy, or gender equality. In this way, an education truly has a “ripple effect”, spreading to generations beyond the individual girl.

When Katumi was still in primary school (in Tamale, Ghana), her parents separated, and her mother, who was uneducated, found herself unable to look after her four daughters on her own.  
Katumi went to live with her aunt but she had to work to support herself. Every day after school she went to the market, where women vendors gave her a portion of their produce to sell. “The money I was earning was never enough,” she says. “I couldn’t afford a school uniform so my friends gave me their old uniforms.”  
In 2010, Katumi was selected for the Camfed program and a full package of support – including fees, uniform, shoes and books. “Camfed’s intervention came at the right time to redeem my aunt and me from the shame we were going through as a result of our inability to re-pay the money we borrowed,” says Katumi. “It also gave me a peaceful mind and I am motivated to study hard.”  
“Another door that opened to me through Camfed’s support is the opportunity is fulfill my dreams of becoming a role model to the girls in my community. These girls do not have any one to look up to and as a result, do not go to school. I will tell my fellow girls that they can make it in life if they believe in themselves.” Katumi plans to be a nurse so she can return to the village where she was born. Currently, there is no clinic, and people must walk several miles to reach a health care facility.   “I want to help my people so they get the medical care they need,” she says.

The education a girl receives stays with her long after she graduates from school. She can start her own business and afford medical care and school tuition for her children. Poverty in developing nations is often a vicious cycle: those that can’t afford health care and an education are unable offer their children a better future, therefore perpetuating this socioeconomic status to the next generation. However, by giving a woman an education, she can break the cycle of poverty, becoming a leader in her community and educating the next generation.

Janna

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

day 21 - camfed case study



Earlier in the project, we discussed how Camfed (Campaign for Female Education) not only offers girls in rural Africa the chance to go to school; they also follow a girl throughout her educative career and offer microfinance loans to those that are interested in starting a business. Here we see the importance of education in preparing girls to own a business, and the impact an education can have on improving the economy of an entire community.

Here is a case study from Camfed:

Raised by her widowed father in rural Zimbabwe, Melody Jori showed an entrepreneurial spirit at a young age. She started her first business when she was a 19-year-old university student studying business management. "I noticed at break time that students were often wanting something to chew on, so I began selling chocolates," says Melody. 
Next, she opened a clothing boutique. Then last year, Melody defied a host of skeptics to pursue her greatest ambition: she launched The Marketer, a business magazine. "No bank would give me a loan because I didn't have collateral. Many people discouraged me. 'Such a complicated enterprise!' they would say. 'Why don't you just do buying and selling?' I persisted because I wanted to show the world that a young rural woman can accomplish something big."  
In launching the magazine, Melody is creating jobs. She employs a designer, a marketing officer, and a production manager. She trains other women in entrepreneurship. "Because of high unemployment, it's time to start creating jobs," she says. "Jobs which will help us sustain our lives."

Like many others, Melody’s education allowed her the chance to start a business and become a leader. Give a girl an education, and you’ll give her empowerment and opportunities to lead her community.

Janna


Tuesday, March 20, 2012

day 20 - women and microfinance


Yesterday we discussed the economic potential of microfinance, ending with a discussion of how such a loan can improve the lives of women, their families, and their communities.
 
Mohammed Yunus, founder of Grameen Bank (a microfinance loan group in Bangladesh) recognized the especial impact such microloans had on women. Not only could these women become entrepreneurs; they could also return the investment to their communities. Grassroots organization ONE estimates that women invest 90% of their income in their families and communities, compared to about 30-40% for men (possible explanations for this include tendencies for men to spend money on short-term investments, as opposed to women’s investments in the education and health of her family). Most of Grameen Bank’s loans are to women, and according to the Bank’s website, loan repayment rates average between 95-98%.

As discussed yesterday, women that become owners of successful microfinance businesses may have a more sustainable income (as opposed to income that is dependent on the success of a harvest). Women that receive a small loan can purchase materials to make handicrafts, start a small store, or buy animals to sell in the market. In areas in which women have traditionally been marginalized, they gain more respect from their husbands and communities for becoming an economic leader. (This is a crucial step in allowing women more participation in government – women that become leaders by transforming their community’s economy are more likely to be allowed to serve on a government council.)

For its numerous positive aspects, microfinance has its cons: Sometimes, no matter how hard an entrepreneur may work, their business does not succeed. This may be due to basic principles of supply and demand (her village may be in a severe economic state, in which families are unable to afford anything except basic necessities). According to Kristof’s Half the Sky, microfinance loans unfortunately usually come with high interest rates that can quickly accumulate if the business is unable to successfully start.

Yet the success of microfinance businesses owned by women is overwhelming (we’ll look at some case studies in the upcoming days), and the economic returns sizeable: the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development estimates that “Limited education and employment opportunities for women in Africa reduce annual per capita growth by 0.8%. Had this growth taken place, Africa’s economies would have doubled over the past 30 years.” Microfinance institutions provide one way to improve economic, social, and gender equality in rural Africa, allowing women to send their children to school.

Janna

Monday, March 19, 2012

day 19 - microfinance loans yeah!

Microfinance business grabbed the world’s attention in 2006, when Mohammed Yunus of Bangladesh won the Nobel Prize for his efforts in microcredit to reduce poverty. Yunus, the founder of Grameen Bank, recognized the potential a small loan could make in lifting people in developing nations out of poverty. Rather than denying people a loan due to fear of the investment being lost, Yunus trusted that microloans would allow people to buy necessary materials to start a business that would easily repay the initial investment.
 
It seems like an almost risky venture: investing capital in people (most without education) so that they can basically start their own business. It might initially seem that such an investment - albeit, even a small one - might not survive the market to be repaid, let alone have any serious economic returns. But according to statistics from the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (housed at the World Bank), in 2010, foreign microfinance investments of $13 billion had asset returns of $68 billion (5.2 times greater than the initial investment!). Microfinance is capable of economic returns times over.

The social returns of microfinance can be considered even greater. Consider, for example, a woman that is given a microcredit loan to start a small weaving business in her home. She can invest in materials and use profits to expand and purchase more materials. She improves the economy of her village. By earning money (sometimes even playing the role of breadwinner), she becomes a positive asset, not a material possession whose only role is to cook and have children. She actively improves the family’s well-being and socioeconomic status. And though she herself might not have an education, she is able to afford school tuition for her children, allowing them opportunities she might not herself have known.

Janna

Sunday, March 18, 2012

day 18 - economic empowerment


“Countries that do not capitalize on the full potential of one half of their societies are misallocating their human resources and undermining their competitive potential.”  –World Economic Forum

“It is impossible to realize our goals while discriminating against half the human race. There is no tool for development more effective than the empowerment of women." –Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary-General

How can countries lift their people out of poverty and transition from being a “developing” nation to a developed one? In countries where many live as subsistence farmers (and men are usually the breadwinners of a family), this transition from a barely-surviving to a fully-thriving economy seems almost impossible. Other developed countries can pour in aid, but unless a system of sustainability is established, relief organizations will remain for that purpose: relief. But by realizing the economic potential of women and giving them economic opportunity, countries can take another step towards gender equality and breaking the poverty cycle.

According to a report by the World Economic Forum, China ranks 9th out of 58 countries in women’s economic participation, and 23rd in women’s economic opportunities. Compare this to South Africa, where women’s economic participation is 39th, and opportunity, 56th. Part of the reason why China has modernized and become a tiger economy is because they recognize the extent to which women can positively contribute to their nation’s economy and GDP. Rather than refusing women economic participation, countries have capitalized on this human resource.

I don’t want to say that this system of economic empowerment for women is perfect, because it has its faults – for example, China’s capitalizing on its labor resources by providing factory jobs with low wages. Sweatshops have given women work, but the women are not paid much for their labor. According to the World Economic Forum, women “In some parts of the world provide upwards of 70% of agricultural labor, and produce over 90% of the food”. Allowing women to own their own land could not only provide a more stable food source, “increase agricultural production in developing countries by 2.5% to 4%, and reduce the number of hungry people by 17%” (Food and Agriculture Organization) – it can provide a form of economic empowerment for these women.

Over the next few days, we’ll be discussing education and microfinance business. Together, these can provide economic stability for women in developing nations. Their family’s economic standing becomes stronger, contributing to a stronger local economy; and with a stronger local economy, the nation’s economy is also strengthened.

Janna

Saturday, March 17, 2012

day 17 - resources


I wanted to share with you some of the resources I’ve been consulting for this project. I am by no means an expert on all of the topics we discuss, nor do I pretend to be; the extent of the issues is far more than I know. But that’s just the thing – if the problem of girls not getting an education is so big, then why don’t people know more about it? My purpose in doing that is exactly that: To raise awareness about women’s education by bringing the issue to the forefront of discussion, and sharing with you what I've learned.
 
If you’d like to learn more about women’s education and other issues faced by women in developing nations, please check out these resources:

"Half the Sky" – As I wrote about before, this book opened my eyes to the problems women face – and moreover, how education can truly make a difference in a woman’s life. Because this was such an insightful and influential book for me, this is where I get most of my information about the topics we discuss. Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn are amazing journalists that give a comprehensive, pragmatic explanation of these issues. If you’re interested in learning more about what we’ve discussed, this book is a great resource. (Also, PBS is making a documentary about the book, to be released in October 2012. Check out their trailer!)

Campaign for Female Education – The organization that we’re working with to help provide education to women in rural Africa. They have truly seen the value of empowering women through education. Their success stories show the organization’s thorough investment in each student (through high school to owning a business), and show the difference an education can make in the life of one girl (times 1,451,600!). 

World Bank and UNICEF – The World Bank and UNICEF both recognize the importance of educating girls to global well-being. The World Bank has an initiative that discusses breaking the poverty cycle through education, especially in especially at-risk areas such as Cambodia, Pakistan, and Mozambique, and examines these issues through objective statistics.

Global Issues – I found this website while looking for statistics on world poverty and education. Their statistics come from UNICEF, the World Bank, and United Nations Development Reports, compiled into a more comprehensive format.

The New York Times – I admire the New York Times (one of whose writers is the author of “Half the Sky”) for bringing women’s issues to the headlines. They have reported on everything from girls’ education to microfinance businesses (the link goes to this article).

I hope these resources help you as much as they’ve helped me in sharing my commitment to women’s education!

Janna

Friday, March 16, 2012

day 16 - maternal mortality

Over the next couple of days, we’ll be discussing maternal mortality. Here in the United States, the thought of women dying in childbirth seems antiquated, a concern that belongs in history books – certainly not a concern of today. But the reality is that childbirth for women in developing nations remains a current problem, claiming the life of one woman per minute ("Half the Sky", 2009).
 
Maternal mortality rates are measured in deaths per 100,000 live births. Many of these developing countries are regions where a woman may have more children (thereby putting her at a greater risk of dying in childbirth). Let’s compare some statistics from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation:

Maternal mortality rate for the United States (2008):   11
                                                                     China:   40
           Iraq:   130
          India:   254                                                        
       Nigeria:   608
                                                                  Somalia:   674
                                                                  Lesotho:   964
                                                           Sierra Leone:   1,033
                                          Central African Republic:   1,570
                                                            Afghanistan:   1,575


Because women often get married at a young age in African and Asian countries, they usually have more children over their lifetime, starting at a younger age. UNICEF estimates that in India, “Girls under 15 are five times more likely to die in childbirth than women in their twenties”. And women’s chances of dying in childbirth are “1 in 17 in West and Central Africa compared to 1 in 8000 in industrialized countries.”

In some cases, an emergency Cesarean section or surgery is needed to preserve the life of the child or mother during childbirth. Hospitals are few and far between, and tools are even less available. Families may be reluctant to pay for, or even unable to afford, expensive operating tools and medicine for a woman’s surgery. They are then forced to watch the mother lose strength and die simply because they could not afford the costs of tools that could have saved her life. We consider this a preventable death; but in other countries, it is unfortunately a common occurrence.

Women with an education tend to have fewer children (World Bank) who will live healthier, longer lives. With an education, the risk of dying in childbirth would greatly decrease for these women. Please consider making a donation to help provide education to women in rural Africa.

Janna

Thursday, March 15, 2012

day 15 - child prostitution

The majority of trafficking victims worldwide are between the ages of 18 and 24; but it, unfortunately, is common to see forced prostitution start at a much younger age. The demand for virgins in the market drives the age of trafficked girls down to as young as eight or nine years old, even before the girls have reached puberty. At eight years old, I was sitting in my second-grade class - not in a brothel.

Child prostitution is perhaps the most horrendous aspect of trafficking. What would happen if we took those girls out of their prison and put them in a school, where they belong? There is so much potential in these girls whose lives are wasting away in a life of forced prostitution.

And I literally mean that their lives are “wasting away”. These girls are forced to sell their bodies to countless unknown partners, putting them at a high risk for contracting an STD or HIV/AIDS. Add the risk of men that don’t use condoms, the purchase of virgins as a “cure” for HIV, and the additional years of forced prostitution that a young victim may face, and the girl is buried alive.   

Escape is possible, in some cases, but it may be a brief freedom. There are stories of girls that have escaped from a brothel and gone to a police station for help. Instead of helping them or cracking down, some officers simply return the girl to the brothel (which merits terrible punishment) or send her to a new one. These “systems of justice” are anything but.

Another terrible aspect of forced prostitution is that an owner may sedate a girl that refuses to do what she is told, drugging her into compliance. This, over time, creates an addiction that may be more difficult to escape than the life of forced prostitution. Even if a girl manages to escape or have her freedom purchased, she may find herself in withdrawal. Consequently, she may return to the brothel to obtain drugs, prompting a downward spiral: With a drug addiction, a woman’s only choice for employment may be in prostitution, which, in turn, pays for her drug use; which in turn, keeps her coming back to the brothel. There is no need for her owner to worry about her escaping her prison. She is chained to it through her addiction.

As we discussed yesterday, you can improve these conditions and see success, but they are secondary manifestations of the root cause of the problem. The answer to stopping the cycle of forced prostitution is by providing women with an education. Not only would these women experience better quality of life, a healthier future (educated women are 3 times as less likely to contract HIV/AIDS), and a more stable economic standing; by supporting each girl’s potential by providing them with an education, the world would benefit from their contributions to society.

Please consider making a charitable donation to help give girls an education in rural Africa.
Donate: Campaign for Female Education

Janna

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

day 14 - target the roots through education


Happy pi day :) I know it looks strange, but I wore my math league jersey with the dress today. Switchin’ things up, I guess…

Here's a number: did you know that 80% of trafficking victims are female, and of these, 70% are sold into sexual slavery? Conditions for many of these victims are terrible: Girls may be locked in cages and forbidden to leave the premises. Many are beaten into submission on a daily basis, and some are even threatened with death if they run away.

Governments have enacted serious effort in reducing the amount of sex trafficking in their cities. For example, the number of prostitutes in Mumbai fell 83% over a few years as a result of governments taking the issue seriously, not just looking the other way. This isn’t even as big a feat as it sounds: If the government punishes a few, others are reluctant to pursue it for fear they will also be punished.

The United States established itself as a leader in addressing the issue by mandating the 2000 Trafficking in Persons report. It prompted consideration by those governments that were ranked poorly – simply by establishing a firm stance against trafficking and putting pressure on those countries to change their practices.

But even if you pull off the tops of the weeds, even pull out the strongest stems, the roots still remain. The same goes with prostitution: though government crackdowns have made significant progress in reducing the number of brothels (and more so, girls trafficked and sold into forced prostitution), we need to target the roots. How can we do this?

The answer is in education. Target the roots of the problem, and the problem will diminish on its own. Provide an education to girls, especially the ones that can’t afford it and consequently, are more at risk for being trafficked – and you’ll stop the perpetuation of sex trafficking and forced prostitution before it starts in another generation.

Sex trafficking seems like a big social problem to conquer, but an education truly allows women to become resources, not in brothels, as they might have been; but in their communities, enacting positive change that has effects hundreds of times over.

Please consider making a charitable donation to help give girls an education in rural Africa.
Donate: Campaign for Female Education

Janna

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

day 13 - "out of sight, out of mind"


Sex slavery is one of those things – like poverty, disease, and suffering – that we wish didn’t exist, but we accept as the norm. Well, people are prostituted everywhere, we say; and let’s face it: we can’t change such a system that’s always been an “accepted” part of society. And because the problem doesn’t affect us, we accept an “out of sight, out of mind” mentality.

But I know that I can’t accept this mindset. These are my sisters in chains; how can I let them suffer while I go on living my life of privilege? Especially when I can try to help, in whatever small way?

Though diplomacy has made considerable gains in reducing forced prostitution in international cities by cracking down on traffickers, there is still a huge underground market. And unfortunately, most of the world is content with looking the other way: the problem is "too complex", "too political" to deal with easily. Worse, perhaps, is the attitude the victims’ own countries take on sex trafficking. Countries' culture of chastity before marriage (and at times, the double-standard in gender equality) exacerbates the sex slavery issue: some government officials themselves believe that allowing brothels for young men is the lesser of two evils when compared with prohibiting prostitution and putting “respectable” girls at risk.

But slavery is slavery. Trafficking and forced prostitution are unacceptable. We can turn our heads to listen, and start turning the tables on this “accepted” system. Providing an education is one of the first steps in empowering women and girls and reducing their risk of ending up in sexual slavery.

Janna

Monday, March 12, 2012

day 12 - modern-day shackles


There is a discrepancy in the terminology usually applied to the term “prostitution”. First, prostitution has a connotation of voluntarily offering sexual services, overlooking the fact that many are forced to sell their bodies against their will (in this case, “forced” or “coerced prostitution” serves to better convey this aspect). Perhaps a more accurate term to describe this issue would be “sexual slavery”.
 
Slavery? you might be saying. That seems a bit harsh… Slavery is practically obsolete in today’s society. The term might have been applicable when slavery was a serious part of the economy, and when slaves were traded, and when they were forced to do labor. But certainly not now. Not in contemporary society.

But aren’t those same criteria present in sex trafficking and forced prostitution?

Many girls exchange hands at border cities, where demand is high. Think about it: With an increasingly globalized economy and social system, it makes the trafficking of victims across borders not only a possibility, but a highly profitable economic resource. We don’t only see Nepalese victims of sex trafficking in the brothels of India; we see women end up in forced prostitution half a world away. For example, women from the countries of the collapsed Soviet bloc, as well as other politically unstable countries, find themselves targets for brothels in Italy and Western Europe.

The victims of sex trafficking and forced prostitution are basically imprisoned in brothels. It doesn’t matter if they don’t want to be there; they must sleep with anyone they are told. Often, their owners forbid them to ask a man to wear a condom because they will be paid less for the act. They are threatened and punished if they don’t cooperate. They are punished even more severely if they try to escape. Those that refuse to comply may be starved or maimed, and some are even drugged to keep them perpetually submissive.

Besides a psychologically submissive state, many are kept in a perpetual economic state. The money from forced prostitution often goes directly to the brothel owner. If she is lucky, the victim may receive a tip from a customer; but the amount is small and often used to pay off debts (such as food, medicine, utilities, and even her purchase price) that her owner has falsified.

The most striking similarity to slavery is that these women are not human beings. They are property. Immaterial, replaceable chattel. They exist only to provide economic gain; and their owners are indifferent as to whether the girl lives and suffers through each day, or dies of HIV/AIDS. The price of a human life is the small sum that a john has paid for her.

Slavery. Can the term apply to anything else more than this?

Janna

Sunday, March 11, 2012

day 11 - sex trafficking


If most women and girls are brought into the sex trade unwillingly, it seems impossible that so many should end up in forced prostitution – how could 420,000-560,000 women come to be trafficked against their will?

Many girls that end up trapped in sexual slavery come from rural peasant families. They may be searching for a job in a city so that they can send money home to their families for several reasons: to cover a deficit from a poor harvest; to pay for a sibling’s education; to buy expensive medicines for a family member; or simply to make ends meet. In addition, these girls are targeted because of their lack of education: they are more likely to blindly trust someone that offers them a job, as well as do as they are told without retaliation.

Often, girls hear of a job in a city working as a servant or maid. Their friends may write to them to come join them, praising their job working in a small shop or selling trinkets. Other girls find themselves entrusted to the care of a close family member, who knows of a similar “job” – an optimistic prospect for these girls. A United Nations report estimates that in 46% of global sex trafficking cases, the recruiter was known – a family member, a friend – to the victim.

Still other girls are kidnapped from their homes by brothel owners to satisfy a client demand for virgins (customers will pay more money for virgins, and in some parts of Africa, there is a widely accepted myth that sex with a virgin is a cure for HIV/AIDS).

When the girls arrive in the city, the exchange of their “caretaker” for a stranger is accompanied by an exchange of money as they are sold to a pimp or madam. Though the girls may be frightened (many are younger than twelve or thirteen, and have no idea who has just bought them and for what reason), they are lured into a false sense of security: they are assured that they will see their family member shortly, and are bought food and new clothes – a luxury for many of these girls. Before they know it, they are brought not to a wealthy person’s home to wash floors, but rather to a brothel in a red-light district.

With an education, girls are in school – and less likely to end up trafficked. This leaves an important question hanging, however: an education is well and good, but how can the girls that leave to find “work” in order to make ends meet even afford school tuition? Fortunately, programs like Camfed help finance a girl’s education; others compensate girls for school attendance. Sexual slavery is a serious issue, but one that can be solved through education.

Janna

Saturday, March 10, 2012

day 10 - black and white (and gray)


Up until now, we’ve focused specifically on women’s education and the changes it can make, not only in the lives of the women themselves, but also on a community and even global level.

We’re going to start discussing some of the problems that women in developing nations face, such as sex trafficking, honor killings, and maternal mortality. Some of the topics might get a little intense, but I think that it’s necessary to understanding the importance of women’s education. We may be content with viewing the world through rose-tinted glasses, conveniently ignoring the most serious problems that plague our world. But seriously, what good does this do? 

I want people to understand that, yes, women’s education is a powerful catalyst to improving global issues; but also to understand the severity and extent of the problems that we seek to change.

The first problem we’ll cover: Sex trafficking and prostitution. In developing nations, a high number of women often resort to selling their bodies to have a means with which they can support themselves and their families. But of these, there may be women that were coerced or sold into prostitution, as well as those that choose that work of their own accord. The issue is not simply in “black or white”, a clearly delineated issue; there is a lot of gray area with regard to women that are forced into the sex trade and those that choose it voluntarily. For example, a woman may become trafficked against her will; but once she is broken by her traffickers, she may accept this as her fate. She may voluntarily prostitute herself because she knows no other opportunities outside of the brothel; she is also stigmatized by society.

Argument exists between those who perceive prostitution as slavery, and others, as a manifestation of female rights and liberation. I do not want to play the part of imperialist by saying we should save prostituted women so that they don’t have to live that sort of life, because for some, it is a conscious, voluntary decision. But when we discuss sex trafficking in these upcoming days, the argument will primarily focus on those that were coerced or sold into the sex trade.

I hope to show the conditions to which women in developing nations are subjected; but also the power of education in offering them a better life they might never have known.

Janna

Friday, March 9, 2012

day 9 - number-crunching


Even though I like numbers, math remains one of my most challenging subjects (as if calculus weren’t difficult enough already, let’s add a z-axis!). Don’t worry, we won’t be doing derivatives here – but what do you say we do a little number-crunching?

  • An estimated 600,000-800,000 people are trafficked across international borders each year. More than 70% of these victims are women.
  • Worldwide, 342,917 women died in childbirth in 2008. Of these deaths, 94% occurred in the 53 least developed nations of the world.
  • An estimated 93 million children do not attend school. Of these, most are girls, and of which 80% live in Africa.
What if we could change all of this?

That’s just it: We can. Women’s education is almost a panacea for these problems. A girl is less likely to run away to find work or be trafficked if she is in school. Because an educated female tends to marry later and have fewer children, she is less at risk for dying in childbirth. She can strengthen the economy of her village by owning a business, raising the standard of living; and conditions continue to improve. All this with an education.
Cost of a year of elementary-school education in Africa: $25.
Price of a uniform so a girl can attend school: $40.
Cost of a year of high-school education in Africa: $300.
 
Empowering a woman through education so she can earn a living, become a community leader, and be a catalyst for change and education: Priceless.
Janna 

Thursday, March 8, 2012

day 8 - International Women's Day


Today was International Women’s Day! The United Nations’ 2012 theme was “Empower Rural Women – End Hunger and Poverty”. (A fitting theme to go along with this project, right?) It was also the 101st anniversary of this day, which was first held in Switzerland as a conference to discuss women’s suffrage, their right to work and represent in politics, and to end discrimination. We’ve solved a lot of these problems since 1911; but we’ve still got a long way to go…

Women’s equality with men can be measured by a number of factors: Wage pay, property and voting rights – and of course, education levels. Another litmus test of female equality, however, is in politics: Females enjoy greater representation when there is a proportionate female representation in their system of government. When examined by percentage of representative-level government, Rwanda is first in the world with 56.3% of lower-house (representative) seats occupied by women. (To give you an idea, the United States’ ranking is 78th.) Check out an interesting article about women’s representation in politics here: Women's Representation in Politics Worldwide.

One more thing – though today was International Women’s Day, this is by no means an issue confined to once a year. Without efforts to ameliorate these problems, the issues women currently face – such as maternal mortality, sex trafficking, and honor killings – are ever-present. So why would we think about women on only one day? We could adopt the spirit of International Women’s Day and work to improve women’s social standings through education every day of the year.

Please consider making a charitable donation to help women's education in rural Africa!

Janna