Problems with Women’s Education Around the World

Life in America is arguably pretty great.  As a young woman, I get up in the morning, put on the clothing of my choosing, and go to class.  Pretty simple, right?  But this is not the case in many nations overseas.  The education that is easily accessible to me is considered to be taboo to some, and a privilege to others.  Women face discrimination in terms of education in many countries around the world, including Cambodia, Palestine, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Ghana, and Rwanda, just to name a few.  In these countries, women are either not permitted to go to school, there is a poor tradition of women not attending school, or women feel threatened, therefore causing a low literacy rate among women.  It seems like this wouldn’t be an issue in this day and age, but women’s education is still a controversial topic in the fight for equality.

One case that is arguably the most prominent in the past few years was the conflict with Malala Yousafzai in Pakistan.  I read Malala’s book a few years ago, and it was truly an eye-opening read.  Never before had I been exposed to the true reality that women face in other countries, and since that moment I valued my education more and more.  In case you haven’t read I Am Malala, which I highly recommend you do, it is the story about how she was shot by the Taliban when attempting to pursue her education, and how she has become an activist for her cause since then.  She also detailed the way culture and society is in Pakistan, which contextualizes the stigma towards women given the intensely patriarchal society.  This is just one case of women being put in dangerous situations solely because they want to pursue their education.

The Taliban has a long history of attacking schools and students, and that is also reflected by other terrorist groups around the world such as Boko Haram.  Boko Haram, focused mainly in Nigeria, has attacked students and teachers through suicide bombings, gunned attacks, and mass abductions in an attempt to wipe out western ideals.  Although these attacks are not targeted directly at women, they are still dramatically disrupting education in these regions of the world.  The Taliban and Boko Haram do not support western ideals, including equality of the sexes, and believe that schools work to promote western ideals among the inhabitants of the given nation.

Malala is the most wellknown victim of these attacks, but hundreds of students, teachers, and families have been effected by the cruelty and hostility of these different militant groups.  Scrolling through any news outlet, it’s hard not to see another update about an armed attack on schools and the widespread violence in these regions.  However, even in these situations, women still persevere.  They still pursue their educations.  They still have hope that with education, they will have a brighter future.

There are many other aspects that contribute to women not attending school, aside from the different terrorist organizations around the world.  A major factor when it comes to women not receiving education is cultural traditions of early marriage.  It is often the case that women marry at thirteen or fourteen, and therefore do not pursue their education because they are now wives, housekeepers, and soon-to-be mothers.  Another factor is widespread patriarchal views that limit women’s advancement.  Many societies around the world do not agree with women working their way up in society and believe they should stay at home in their appropriate spheres.  This belief is so engrained in society that even the women believe that they should accept their place and their roles.  Mothers and fathers alike do not see the need to send their daughters to school, so they do not pursue it when the opportunity arises.  Another factor in the family dynamic is also money.  Other countries do not always have the luxury of a government funded public school system, so it costs a lot of money to attend school.  Because of this, and because of societal pressure, families won’t send their daughters to school or will only send their sons, who have a greater chance in their respective societies to make a future for themselves.  This is not the belief of all people in these heavily patriarchal societies, but it is a prominent factor when considering female literacy in such nations.

One of my goals in writing this blog is to highlight the injustices not only faced by women in the United States, but by women all over the world.  Yes, women in America have issues that need to be addressed and face many injustices daily, like the wage gap and rape culture, but overseas, life for women is much much worse.  When advocating for women’s rights, we need to look outside of our own sphere and help those who are struggling, because women cannot be equal in American while other women face such severe injustices abroad.

 

Photo Sources
http://www1.rfi.fr/actuen/articles/109/article_2725.asp
http://live.worldbank.org/experts/malala-yousafzai
https://www.msh.org/blog/2015/03/06/empower-our-girls-empower-the-world-an-international-womens-day-message-from-nigeria

4 Comments on Problems with Women’s Education Around the World

  1. ixj5042
    February 5, 2017 at 1:20 am (7 years ago)

    I remember in High school, reading Malala’s autobiography and being intrigued by it. I then realized that the privileges we men enjoy are denied in some Muslim and Asian countries. Personally, I think women should be educated and employed equally because of the equal weight in potential both groups of people hold. However, as with any other issues on equality, I think communication is most important between the two groups. As this issue is most serious in many Muslim countries, a religious view is also present in this segregation. I look forward to how you will address this issue in the future.

    Reply
  2. ccc5450
    February 17, 2017 at 4:39 pm (7 years ago)

    I also read Malala’s story as well as another book called “A Thousand Splendid Suns” which although is fictional, is based on the same oppressive society that women like Malala face in the Middle East. These stories were so eye opening as you described because they are such a stark contrast to how us American women live on a daily basis. We definitely take the education and equality that we have for granted and although it is not perfect, our society continues to try and work to improve women’s place here. I liked how you touched on how it’s important to understand not only our own injustices, but also the problems that women face around the world as we need to come together as one to bring equality universally.

    Reply
  3. Sophie Haiman
    February 19, 2017 at 5:21 pm (7 years ago)

    I really appreciate the fact that you are writing a blog on gender disparities not just in the United States but around the world. What I found particularly interesting the fact that you highlighted terror groups as a main reason behind women’s lack of education around the world. I have never thought of that as a main reason behind this divide. A reason which I have always been taught was the country’s government and the established laws in each of these countries is what enables this continuous lack of rights.

    Reply
  4. Rey
    January 18, 2023 at 3:37 pm (1 year ago)

    The article informative and blog is amazingly good.
    Always post the great thing on the blog and Bonanza88 thank you.

    Reply

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