Education: Empowerment for Women

Through our work with women from many cultural backgrounds, Ishar has witnessed the many barriers faced by women in exercising their right to quality education and employment.

Globally, 65 million girls are not in school. 17 million girls of primary school age will probably never attend school in their lifetimes. One-third of girls in the developing world are married before the age of 18, and 1 in 9 are married before the age of 15. According to the United Nations, undereducated women are also the most vulnerable to trafficking, abuse, and unplanned pregnancies.

Educating a girl can break cycles of poverty and change the course of a woman and her children’s lives in just one generation.

Girls who get an education marry later, have fewer children, earn higher wages and support healthier and more prosperous families.

Girls with eight years of education are four times less likely to marry as children.

A girl with an extra year of education can earn 20 percent more as an adult.

A child born to a literate mother is 50 percent more likely to survive past the age of 5.

Educated mothers are more than twice as likely to send their children to school.

Educated women are more likely to have increased decision-making power within their households.

Access to employment allows a woman to be financially independent, decreasing the likelihood of power and control in situations of family and domestic violence.

Ishar believes in empowering women and resourcing them with knowledge and understanding of their rights, and the skills to access further education and employment to enrich their lives. Among other supports, we provide education of legal rights, academic opportunities, referral for financial literacy, family and domestic violence information and supports, English lessons, awareness of resources, and empowerment through building self-awareness, intrinsic motivation, and development of personal goals and aspirations.

We are proud to be a part of this incredibly significant change in the lives of women, their families, and the greater community. Ishar is a non-profit organisation, relying on the generosity of others to sustain our services. If you would like to make a donation to support us in making a difference in women’s lives, please follow the link.

References

International Center for Research on Women, United Nations, Right to Education.