Feminism!? Have A Look At South Asian Women!
Today, we live in the digital era in which almost everyone can read, write understand their native languages and at least one foreign language(English). Right?! Not to mention that countries like Finland and Korea have 100% literacy rates.
The era in which feminism has reached its height. I feel devastated for what South Asian women have to go through.
UNICEF reports that South Asia has the worst gender disparity, with most girls subjected to oppressive values and unjust gender-related roles which prioritize men over women.
Moreover, while a boy’s education is given precedence over a girls, it is worth noting that girls are 3 times less likely to go to school than boys. And are 5 times less likely to have access to digital gadgets like smartphones, laptops etc which is taking away their right to communicate and learn. 46.5% of women are not participating in any educational activity and 35% of them can’t read an write a simple sentence
In my opinion, countries that do not provide adequate educational opportunities to women are hindering their economic growth by increasing the number of dependents. According to the World Bank's 2022 statistics, the combined dependency ratio of South Asia is 51%.
Now, why does women's empowerment mostly talk about education? When a woman is provided with necessities like food, shelter and clothing.
We have evolved beyond the primitive era of human survival. While basic necessities are still important for human survival, there are stages beyond mere survival that humans strive for. Once humans fulfil their basic survival needs, they desire to achieve more and aim for financial stability to gain status in society.
Education is a basic right for every individual, and it plays a crucial role in shaping one's mindset and intellect. It also leads to financial independence, which is essential for one's freedom of choice. Many people accept slavery for various reasons, but financial dependency is the most significant factor. Uneducated women are often deprived of this independence, which makes them vulnerable to abuse and mistreatment. Eventually, it becomes a norm for people to say demeaning words to their wives, sisters, daughters, or mothers just because they have no other choice. But they deserve better, as they are the ones who make our home a better place to live in.
You can estimate the number of women who secure good jobs after obtaining a bachelor's degree by comparing it to the ratio of one woman to ten men in leadership positions in Asia.
However, it provides a moment of relief to know that organizations like UNICEF are working for gender equality. And, I hope that a privileged woman will raise her voice for the unprivileged.
