Normalize Equality
This article is focused on the following Sustainable Development Goal:
"Women are responsible for 60% of work done globally yet earn just 10% of income."
Let that sink in.
Women's rights have been a debated topic for years and still vary greatly per country. Most African women are still denied the right to quality education and to participate in the workforce. This forced women to remain at the lowest social and economical hierarchy, with little to no opportunities to break out of the cycle of poverty some of them were born into. Although, the progress of many African countries to close the gap between men and women should not be ignored: Rwanda's women show a 27% increase in management roles while South Africa's women show a 15% increase.
Still, there's more to be done. Let's take a deeper look at Africa's biggest economic base: Nigeria. McKinsey Global Institute estimates that Nigeria’s gross domestic product can grow by about 23 percent in just the next four years if women participated in the economy equal to men. Given Nigeria's fair share of economic setbacks, women can prove to be influential in Nigeria's response.
Currently, most of Nigeria's women workforce participate in the informal sector, which consists of low-paid work such as street selling, hair-dressing, and agricultural production. Most of these occupations have no guarantee of stable incomes or security, leaving many women at the poverty level for years.
But why is there gender inequality in Nigeria?
In developing countries, such as Nigeria, the lack of water access forces women to carry water for hours on end, thereby, being unable to participate in the labour force or gain access to quality education. According to an interview from the International Monetary Fund, inequality stems from women's lack of basic rights includes access to education, healthcare, and clean water, as well as the discrimination than women face at the workplace that results in lower wages compared to males.
It's time to normalize equality.
And many have already started.
Providing jobs for women is one of the most influential forms of empowerment, as it leads to a sustainable lifestyle for them and also their children. In Nigeria, RESWAYE targets this goal by creating jobs in the recycling sector for women and youth. By providing stable jobs, these women have a constant source of income, allowing women to break out of the poverty cycle many of them are trapped in. In doing this, not only is the initiative improving gender equality but is also reducing the effects of plastic in our daily lives.
Also, the WAAW foundation (Working to Advance Science and Technology Education for African Women) works all across Africa in efforts to promote women's education. For women in Africa, having access to quality education that WAAW provides can drastically improve their lives: from preventing child marriage to increasing female management positions.
Sometimes, a change in mindset is all that's necessary. Learn to normalize equality and remember, change starts with you.
Work Cited
“African Women Battle for Equality | Africa Renewal.” United Nations, United Nations, www.un.org/africarenewal/magazine/july-2005/african-women-battle-equality.
“Good for Women Good for Growth: Closing Nigeria's Gender Gap.” IMF, 8 Mar. 2018, www.imf.org/en/News/Podcasts/All-Podcasts/2018/03/08/nigeria-gender-inequality.
“Home.” WAAW Foundation, 8 Mar. 2021, waawfoundation.org/.
“Introduction.” Reswaye, reswaye.org/.
Woetzel, Jonathan, et al. How Advancing Women's Equality Can Add $12 Trillion to Global Growth. 16 Sept. 2020, www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/employment-and-growth/how-advancing-womens-equality-can-add-12-trillion-to-global-growth.
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