Five women who are moving girls’ education forward
Female education has been called a “silver bullet” solution to several of the most pressing problems facing global growth.
It has been compared to a Swiss military knife due to the wide variety of tools it provides for global affairs. And it is hailed by international representatives and financial experts for its influence on health, social protection, shared success, and environmental degradation.
This comparison came about because of the breadth of toolkits it provides for development. By fighting for the rights of girls to attend school, women all over the globe are attempting to eliminate economic gender inequality as well as poverty.
These five women are just a few of the many people who are working, or have worked, to advance the cause of women’s rights via the medium of education.
1) Malala Yousafzai
Malala Yousafzai became a worldwide champion for educating girls when she resisted Pakistani extremists and repeated violent assaults by attending school as a young adolescent. At the stage of 17, Malala Yousafzai was presented with the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 in recognition of her courageous actions and articulate advocacy on behalf of girls’ schooling.
She said, “I do not want to be known as the ‘girl who was killed by the Taliban.’ Instead, I want to be looked at as the ‘girl who battled for education.’… I have found the cause that I want to dedicate the rest of my life to.”
She is the creator of the Malala Fund, which works to fight for reforms in policy and systems on international, regional, and local levels that would provide girls with access to high quality education. In 2015, Malala turned 18, and there is no question that she will keep pushing for improvements and pledges to be made about the academic achievement of girls in the years to come.
2) Rasheda Choudhury
When it comes to improving women’s access to education, it is important to mention Rasheda Choudhury. She currently holds the position of Vice President for the Worldwide Campaign for Education.
This is an initiative that is attempting to address the worldwide schooling crisis by ensuring that everyone has access to free and public education. In addition to this, she serves as the Executive Coordinator of the Campaign for Majority Education (CAMPE), which is a coalition of over a thousand educational associations and non-governmental groups based in Bangladesh.
CAMPE has been successful in enlisting the support of thousands of individuals in its effort to increase educational opportunities for girls. Choudhury is an activist for gender equity and fights for the right to education for women in addition to her work as a journalist.
Choudhury is also Member Secretary of Education Watch, a civil society initiative that frequently reviews the status of Education For All (EFA) in Bangladesh, and suggests guidelines for improvement. Education Watch has inspired similar initiatives in other Asia-Pacific and African countries.
3) Camilla Croso
The fight for equal education for women has been significantly influenced by Camilla Croso. As a way to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Worldwide Women’s Day in 2011, the incoming president of the Global Advertisement for Education, Camilla Croso, sent a letter to all of the GCE members.
The letter discussed the vitally important topic of gender inclusivity in all levels of teaching, through helping girls continue their education, combating prejudice, and achieving more social equality, establishing gender inclusiveness in schooling will aid to efforts to abolish child labor. All of which will be accomplished by promoting education for girls.
The letter comprised a statement that was published in favor of the 2011 National Action Week for Educating for Everyone which took place between May 2 and May 8, 2011. The letter accompany the statement said:
“…gender discrimination and gender inequalities still prevail in our world, within the education system and beyond. Recognising the problem to its full extent, its causes and its consequences, is crucial for its overcoming. We conceive that schools must be privileged spaces to foster human rights and dignity, promoting the overcoming of all forms of discrimination.”
Croso has continued to campaign for women’s right to education. In a discussion titled “Human rights at risk: impacts for education in Latin America and the Caribbean” at a meeting at the UN High-Level Political Forum in 2019, Cross noted that “all human rights are at risk when we do not comply with the human right to education.”
Croso is also on the GPE Board representing international and national civil society organisations (CSOs). She says of her role:
“It’s an honor to be representing the CSO 2 constituency on the GPE Board. I look forward to broadly engaging with colleagues across the different regions and countries on the many strategic issues discussed in the context of GPE, bringing to the table the perspectives of the ‘Global South’.
“The development of GPE´s next strategic plan offers an important opportunity to ensure that the overall spirit and content of the SDG 4/ Education 2030 are reflected and implemented across the world, thus promoting the strengthening of public education systems with at least 12 years of free quality and inclusive education.”
4) Emmeline Pankhurst
Have you ever been tempted into buying a research paper can introduce you to interesting facts regarding the education of women? One popular subject is Emmeline Pankhurst.
In the early part of the twentieth century, a number of British women came together and started a movement to secure voting rights for women. They self-identified as the Suffragette movement, and Emmeline Pankhurst served as its leader.
Emmeline adhered to the ideology of ‘actions not words,’ which resulted in her often-serving time behind bars. Nevertheless, even when she was incarcerated, Pankhurst found methods to resist, and she urged other prisoners to join her in a strike.
1928 was the year when her campaign was ultimately successful. However, the win was tinged with sadness since Pankhurst had passed away only two weeks before the election.
5) Rosa Parks
Some of the best paper writing services you will find online can help with studies into a range of topics, including the story of Rosa Parks.
Rosa didn’t have access to the same education rights as women today, but she found a way to be impactful on education for women. When she started her project in 1955, she had already distinguished herself as a prominent leader and activist in the Civil Rights Movement in the state of Alabama.
Not only did Parks engage in opposition by blocking the road, but she also assisted in the organization and planning of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Many people have attempted to minimize the contribution that Rosa Parks made to the protest by portraying her as a housewife who just did not want to move as she was exhausted.
Parks first refuted the accusation, but many years later disclosed the real reason for her actions. In her autobiography she said:
“People always say that I didn’t give up my seat because I was tired, but that isn’t true. I was not tired physically, or no more tired than I usually was at the end of a working day. I was not old, although some people have an image of me as being old then. I was forty-two. No, the only tired I was, was tired of giving in.”
Rosa Parks’ brave act and the resulting Montgomery Bus Boycott led to the integration of public transportation in Montgomery. However, she was jailed for refusing to give up her seat, and she lost her job for taking part in the boycott.
She continued to work as an active member of several organizations to end inequality in Detroit.
