There are two powers in the world: the sword and the pen. There is a third power stronger than both, that of women.”—Malala Yousafzai.
Introduction
The article by Dr. Navpreet Kaur emphasizes the importance of investing in women to empower them and promote gender equality in society. It discusses various aspects of women’s empowerment, including education, healthcare, leadership, and financial independence, and highlights the benefits of empowering women for both individuals and society.
The article also recognizes the need to challenge gender stereotypes and cultural barriers, provide access to education and family planning, support women’s leadership roles, and ensure women have control over their financial assets.
It calls for collective action to create a more equitable and inclusive world and acknowledges the efforts of organizations and individuals working towards women’s empowerment.
This article has been written by Dr. Navpreet Kaur . She is a Chandigarh-based Researcher/Campaigner / Lawyer and Social Worker. She is closely working for women’s empowerment and the upliftment & social integration of acid attack survivors, underprivileged women, children, and various other weaker sections of society. The research papers written by Dr.Navpreet Kaur are published in various National and International journals and books. In addition, she has been invited as a speaker/Chairperson/Panelist/Judge by various National and International Colleges, Universities, and Departments.
It’s true that when women achieve success, everyone benefits. Thus, investing in women benefits women and society as a whole. To ensure that human values are percolated into the social and democratic fabric, women must be given space to grow as creative human beings.
We need to translate this idea into reality. If we make a serious attempt in this regard, the concept of inspiring inclusion will go a long way in giving meaning to liberty and equality as far as women are concerned.
Investing in women means equipping them with the resources and opportunities to promote their personal and economic growth, fulfillment, and empowerment.
This means providing women with support from the beginning of their lives until they reach their empowered stage, which includes education, health, training, and financial support, and creating platforms to express themselves and enact change while maintaining their autonomy and dignity.
Empowering Women: Inspire Inclusion for Progress
International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8th every year. It originated from women’s movements in the early 20th Century. The campaign theme for 2024 is “Inspire Inclusion,” and the overarching theme is “Invest in women: Accelerate progress.”
Read more about “International Women’s Day 2024 campaign theme is ‘Inspire Inclusion’ at https://www.internationalwomensday.com
A family, a society, or any country system can only be judged as best where women are respected, and efforts are made to create a healthy environment where their inherent qualities can grow unhindered and shine in all fields of life. There is a need to get rid of medieval thinking, which has shackled society’s thinking in the name of tradition, religion, and other beliefs that have been tormenting the minds of women for ages.
Even today, women suffer because of preconceived notions of society.
The celebration of Women’s Day reminds societies of whether the idea of inclusion is followed earnestly or not. It should be an attempt to evaluate the system of equality.
The idea of equality and empowerment of women is a two-way endeavor- one is by the government and societies, and the other is by the women themselves.
One is enacting laws and their serious implementations to ensure inclusion through becoming viable by providing opportunities to women and creating a space for them where their inherent qualities flourish. They become an integral part of the progress and development of the society they live in.
On the other hand, it is the meaning of real liberation that the women should understand and prepare themselves for a struggle to get their natural rights. Thus, there is a need to prepare a ground for their upward jump with the robust outreach of women’s enlightened minds through learning.
There is a need to make them reliant and independent of all barriers that impede their ways of progress. There are many ways to ensure women and girls’ needs, interests, and aspirations are valued and included. Inspire Inclusion could work through action in areas such as:
Inspire Inclusion: Transforming Lives through Women’s Education
“Give me an educated mother, and I shall promise you the birth of a civilized, educated nation,” said Napoleon Bonaparte in the 18th Century.
Girls and women face explicit barriers to getting into school, such as violence against women and disallowing girls from attending school. At the same time, other problems are more systematic and less explicit.
Millions of girls globally are also prevented from attending school each month due to a lack of menstrual hygiene products or clean toilet facilities, significantly impacting their education.
Women who completed their primary education have better economic prospects, younger and healthier children, and a greater chance of sending them to school.
If girls’ education continues to the secondary level, they will be better equipped to make informed life choices. Thus, the society should work towards providing more educational opportunities to women.
Improving girls’ educational levels has been shown to significantly impact young women’s health and economic future, as well as enhance the prospects of the entire community.
According to the data, infants and babies whose mothers have received primary education have a lower mortality rate than children whose mothers are illiterate. Improving girls’ education, particularly in terms of their earning potential, increases their families’ living standards.
Women are more likely to invest more of their income into their families than men, ultimately leading to an improved living standard for the entire family.
The more education women gain, the more aware they are of their health. Education and advanced training also delay the onset of sexual activity, marriage, and childbirth for women.
Educating women is crucial for their well-being. When women are educated, they often have better health, use contraceptives more, and are better equipped to handle tough situations like divorce or domestic violence.
Nurturing Empowerment through Women’s Leadership and Family Planning
Inspiring inclusion means providing women with the resources, support, and opportunities they need to succeed. This includes access to education, mentorship, networking, and leadership training programs. It also means challenging traditional gender roles and promoting a culture of respect and equality in homes, workplaces, and communities.
Family planning is also an essential tool for social change. Enabling women and girls to have access to voluntary family planning is an important step toward achieving gender equality in communities, societies, and states.
Studies have shown a strong correlation between the increased use of family planning and the growing decision-making power of women in the family. Research also suggests that as access to contraceptives increases, families choose to have fewer children, and daughters become as valued as sons.
This is demonstrated, for example, by parents investing more in their daughters’ education. As more families send their daughters to school, girls have better prospects for training and work.
Over time, educated women are more likely to have educated children, particularly daughters. This suggests that meeting the family planning needs of women and couples today impacts the next generation.
Many girls are forced to abandon their studies due to unplanned pregnancies, and in some countries, girls are immediately expelled if they are found to be pregnant. Once a girl is in school, if she has access to information and voluntary family planning services, she will also have the ability – and, in some cases, the choice – to stay in school.
Family planning also enables women to coordinate the timing of their children and the size of their families with their needs and desire to earn a wage. Ultimately, a woman who can plan her family is better able to plan her life.
Nurturing Women’s Leadership: A Call to Inspire Inclusion
Indian women are attempting to emerge and liberate themselves from the shackles of negative stereotypes of the medieval Ages, which have been imposed as codes to deprive them of their natural rights.
Today’s women have become conscious of their existence and their rights. In the current scenario, women may only sometimes recognize their potential, but they have a direct path to success once they do.
Their capability and abilities are undeniable when they are in a leadership role. However, due to its negative connotations, it can be intimidating for women who have yet to hold a leadership position to take on the challenge. This could cause the younger generation to shy away from pursuing opportunities to break through these barriers.
“Women play a significant role as catalysts for change in their surroundings.”
Empowering women in politics is not just about equality—it’s about creating a more inclusive and prosperous society for everyone. When women sit at the table, they can advocate for issues that matter most to them, ultimately benefiting both women and men.
Additionally, women’s economic participation is a powerful force for development, poverty reduction, and improved well-being for families and communities. We can unlock their full potential as leaders, entrepreneurs, and change-makers by providing women with access to essential financial services and resources.
Let’s work together to break down barriers and ensure that every woman has the opportunity to thrive and make a difference.
Ensure that financial assets are in the hands of women.
Financial empowerment is not just about earning money; it’s about managing it wisely and achieving financial independence. Unfortunately, women are often marginalized in financial decision-making; when it comes to handling their finances, most women depend on their fathers, husbands, or brothers.
They lack control over the money earned and have little say in the family’s finances. Women can secure their futures and prepare for unforeseen circumstances, including potential health concerns, by taking control of their finances.
Investing in financial education and planning equips women with the knowledge and skills to build wealth, achieve financial goals, and protect themselves and their families.
“Breaking Gender Stereotypes and Cultural Barriers” is a phrase that highlights the importance of challenging traditional beliefs and norms related to gender and culture. It encourages people to think critically and question practices that may reinforce discrimination and inequality.
Overcoming gender stereotypes and cultural barriers is essential for empowering women. By advocating for gender equality in all aspects of life—at home, in the workplace, or within communities—we can foster an environment where women are appreciated, valued, and given equal opportunities to succeed.
Numerous organizations, governments, and individuals are working towards women’s empowerment worldwide.
The Laxmi Foundation, an NGO, is an initiative by acid attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal (Founder) and Dr. Navpreet Kaur. Through their philanthropic endeavor, they have undertaken to help other brave hearts like Laxmi, who had to face the ravages of brutal violence of an acid attack. Today, the Laxmi Foundation is a ray of hope for women without one to support them.
Investment through excellent systems in women in the form of education and other inputs which are entirely related to the overall emergence of women and ultimately make them feel like a good citizen and worthy human beings only then the spirit of the idea of inclusion can be applied.
A good start has already been made in this direction. Self-reliant, intelligent, healthy, and progressive women can contribute a lot to the progress of the family, society, the country, and the global system. Political systems, governments, and society should aim to provide women equal opportunity to shoulder responsibilities that will accelerate progress.
We can work together to build a more equitable, prosperous, and inclusive world for all. We need to break the biases at home, in education, in the workplace, in leadership, and society so that all genders can enjoy their human rights.
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