What do we mean when we talk about EMPOWERMENT?

Looking around the world you can see lots of statistics and numbers about women experiencing violence, inequality and poverty.

A special Because I am a Girl report on The State of the World’s Girls says,

“Discrimination against girls and young women remains deeply entrenched and widely tolerated throughout the world. Many of the challenges girls will face start from the moment they are born; in fact in some parts of the world, girls are the target of a social preference for boys even before birth”

A lot of this has to do with power. The Spice Girls might not be together any more, but they got something right when they talked about girl power. What they were really talking about is “empowerment,” which means having the ability to make choices, rather than just take what comes.

When I was in Ethiopia, I met a woman whose father had died of AIDS, leaving her mother, sister and her behind. Because the father was the main breadwinner, his death left the family struggling to make ends meet. The mother made a decision that one of her daughters should get married to relieve some of the stress of caring for two daughters. The daughter I met married an older widower in her community who would provide a stable life and reduce the financial burden on her family. It wasn’t until later that she found out that his previous wife had died of AIDS, and now she was infected as well.

If empowerment is about being able make good choices, this example shows how powerless can exist when the only choice available can put you or your family at risk.

But, it’s important to remember that women around the world are not just victims. All around the world, you’ll also see women active in claiming their rights, improving their communities, and supporting other women. The woman I met in Ethiopia is now working as a peer-counsellor for other women in her community, helping them to know their rights and protect their bodies.

This blog is about both those things…coming face to face with the issues faced by women around the world, and also seeing what strong women around the world are doing about it. To hear more about empowerment in action, read Nazma’s Story.

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2 responses to “What do we mean when we talk about EMPOWERMENT?”

Concerned male
December 30th, 2009 at 13:49

I find this sexist. What about men?! Oh no, men cant change the world. We should kill all men/boys. All males should die under a feminaz-feminist world because we are useless and cant do anything in the world. I am disgusted by you people

Team Because I am a Girl
December 31st, 2009 at 12:34

Concerned male: Sorry you feel that way. If you’re wondering, “what about the boys”, go to plancanada.ca to find out about the work that Plan is doing to improve the lives of millions of girls and boys around the world. As one of the world’s oldest and largest international development organizations, we work with communities in developing countries to improve living conditions for all children, but we understand that girls face unique barriers and challenges, so we address gender discrimination in all of our program work. Our goal is for girls and boys to have equal access to education, healthcare, and the skills and opportunities needed to become independent adults who can break the cycle of poverty for themselves. Our Because I am a Girl campaign is mobilizing girls in Canada because we think they have a special interest in the rights of girls, and something special to say, but our movement for change involves everyone – girls, boys, men and women – who want to support this work and stand up for girls’ rights everywhere.

1 Trackbacks / Pingbacks

Does Pro-Girl mean Anti-Boy? December 30th, 2009 at 17:39

[...] gender equality can take many different forms. For example, following from the example I gave in one of my previous posts, a man who decides to get tested for HIV and discloses his status before he gets married is making [...]

Concerned male
December 30th, 2009 at 13:49

I find this sexist. What about men?! Oh no, men cant change the world. We should kill all men/boys. All males should die under a feminaz-feminist world because we are useless and cant do anything in the world. I am disgusted by you people

Team Because I am a Girl
December 31st, 2009 at 12:34

Concerned male: Sorry you feel that way. If you’re wondering, “what about the boys”, go to plancanada.ca to find out about the work that Plan is doing to improve the lives of millions of girls and boys around the world. As one of the world’s oldest and largest international development organizations, we work with communities in developing countries to improve living conditions for all children, but we understand that girls face unique barriers and challenges, so we address gender discrimination in all of our program work. Our goal is for girls and boys to have equal access to education, healthcare, and the skills and opportunities needed to become independent adults who can break the cycle of poverty for themselves. Our Because I am a Girl campaign is mobilizing girls in Canada because we think they have a special interest in the rights of girls, and something special to say, but our movement for change involves everyone – girls, boys, men and women – who want to support this work and stand up for girls’ rights everywhere.

Does Pro-Girl mean Anti-Boy? December 30th, 2009 at 17:39

[...] gender equality can take many different forms. For example, following from the example I gave in one of my previous posts, a man who decides to get tested for HIV and discloses his status before he gets married is making [...]