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Monday, March 07, 2005
Education: a liberating factor for women
By Joy G. Perez
Commentary
EDUCATION is a liberating factor for women from oppression, ignorance, discrimination, and poverty.
Education is a very good investment as well.
Education determines a woman’s access to paid employment, her earning capacity, and her overall health. Education helps women overcome social prejudice and assume a status and identity beyond childbearing.
Education is a weapon to combat sexual stereotyping and discriminating attitudes toward women.
Women account for twice as much as men of the world’s nearly one billion illiterate people. They cannot read a book or sign their names.
A UNICEF report noted, “Without an education, people can not work productively, care for their health, sustain and protect themselves and their families or live culturally-enriched lives. Illiteracy makes it difficult for them to interact in society in a spirit of peace, tolerance, and gender equality among all peoples and groups”.
On global issues today, there are three major crises affecting women: environmental crisis, poverty and disintegration of our communities, and the growing violence.
These are based on the report by Noeleen Heyzer, a social science researcher.
Citing the case of Asia, she stressed that women’s lives are in export due to migration and seeking for overseas jobs. She commented, “our lives are controlled by transnational capitalists.”
Among research data concerning women and media, she said there is a general observation that the reality of most women’s lives, particularly the problems of poor women who work in partnership with men to support their families is not presented.
The strength and capability of these women through their own stories are missing, as media focus more on urban women and those women who are better off.
At least, in the Philippines, among the government’s social welfare development offices nationwide, various projects are undertaken for women’s program.
These are self-enhancement skills projects, communication-participation skills development, social communication skills development, maternal and childcare development, and special projects for women.
These special projects include assistance to women who are victims of violence, particularly battered women, as well as those children who are victims of whatever forms of abuse and violence.
(Sun.star dumaguete)
(March 7, 2005 issue)
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