BUILDING BETTER HABITS
An excited black women enjoying her education photo. Jeff Denlea.
Gender Inequality
When
we trace the problem of gender inequality, it takes us back to the 17th
Century or even earlier. In that patriarchal society, women were placed in the
same category as children. As a result, they were incapable of independent
thinking and decision making. In the 18th Century for example,
United States women were excluded from all state laws. Only men were identified
as voters by the American Constitution after the 14th Amendment,
which took place in 1868. Women were left out of the voting exercise because
they could not be trusted. For sure if you are thought of as a child, then you
are incapable of so many things. These types of insults towards grown adult
women not only underscores the level of disrespect a patriarchal society has
towards women but also devalues the whole concept of womanhood. Such prejudiced
attitudes prevent black women from making progress.
With
this kind of thinking, you cannot grow as a woman because obstacles have
already been laid down. And you will have to fight to find your way out.
Whereas, you might think that the world has made progress towards how it thinks
of a woman in society. In reality, not much progress has been registered. When
the right opportunities present themselves, patriarchal tentacles show up. And
when they do, women are prevented from competing favorably with men. This is
why some historical problems such as, gender inequality has lingered in modern society.
Black women in particular, are still being derailed by gender inequality. For example,
across the world, women make 24 percent less money than men. If circumstances remain
the same as today, it will take at least 170 years for women to catch up with
men.
An intelligent woman using education as a weapon/ Photo Courtesy/ Ketut Subiyanto
Gender
inequality not only robs women of their voice but also keeps them behind in all
critical sectors in an economy. In fact, there is no country in the world today
that has achieved economic equality according to Oxfam. More women than men are
still likely to live in poverty in modern society. Black women have higher
rates of poverty compared to men. And in general, more women than men live in
poverty. According to World Bank, ten percent of women live in extreme poverty
globally. Based on the current rate of progress, at least 342 million women
will still be living in extreme poverty by 2030. Further, black women have a
higher chance of living in poverty compared to white women with economic
insecurity being higher among older black women. In 2022 for example, 16.6
percent of black women lived in poverty compared to seven point three percent
of white women.
Overall,
black women are at higher risk of living in poverty compared to any other group
of women in society. The underlying causes of poverty among black women are closely
linked to systematic inequalities, underinvestment throughout women lives, and
structural racism. Based on these facts, the probability of black women
continuously living in poverty is one. There are way too many hindrances, which
stand in the way of a black woman’s progress. If it is not harsh cultural
practices then it could be economic inequality, where women spend more time in
unpaid labor than men. In fact, society has no problem seeing you as a woman. Spend
more hours in unpaid labor because that is how people have been socialized. Women
are associated with domestic labor than men. Hours spend in childcare,
household chores, and domestic activities rob women and the economy at least
ten trillion dollars per year. And this
loss not only impacts the economy but also promotes poverty among women and
gender inequality. This is a difficult burden to carry as a black woman. Poverty
robs people of their human dignity and keeps them in vulnerable positions. You
cannot accept the idea of being insecure all the time. As a black woman, you
need to discover a weapon that can help you break free from poverty.
Education
Getting
an education, especially post-secondary education is a weapon. Education is a
weapon not just for black woman but also society. Education has been identified
as an influential tool for change and peace promotion in the world. If you
check throughout history, education has had immense impact on both individuals
and the world. The benefit of independent thinking that education stirs among
people cannot be underestimated. When you become an independent thinker, you
practically open doors to critical thinking, new ideas, and innovative
solutions. Further, education also helps to lower levels of poverty and income
inequality. Deep-rooted causes of violence and conflict in society according to
a study carried out by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO), shows that income will increase by 23 percent per capita
globally for countries that encourage education for all people.
Women embracing education to fight poverty/ Photo/ Kaboompics.com
Education
empowers people to break free from vicious cycle of poverty. Knowledge,
opportunities, and skills play a critical role in transforming individuals and
societies. As a woman, you deserve all of these values that come with a higher
education. The role that education plays in the life of an individual is not
only inspiring but also transformational. Breaking cycles of poverty is not
easy. Black women must fight for their freedom. Structural inequalities have
kept black women in poverty for a long time. And it is about time you reclaimed
your voice as a black woman. See education as a path to a prosperous future.
Invest in education because you stand to benefit a lot as an educated person.
Your life changes with a higher education. Your overall health and quality of
life all improve with every chance of access to a post-secondary education. Your
income not only increases but also gets you out of the insecure position that many
women experience in the informal economy. You end up with job security because
you are qualified. Your position changes from easily disposable to valuable
asset. When you have real transferrable skills, which other people can learn
and benefit from, you become indispensable. According to Bureau of Labor
Statistics (BLS), employees who have a postsecondary degree earn more compared
to workers with only a high school diploma. In 2023, the median earnings per
week for individuals who identified themselves as having earned an associate
degree stood at $1,058. Individuals with a Bachelor’s degree had a median
income of $1,493 per week, while employees with a Master’s degree earned $1,737
per week compared to persons who only had a high school diploma.
With these types of earnings per week, your life
changes completely. Your economic muscle grows when you are an empowered person
through education. Education is a weapon against poverty as it equips you with
the kind of potential nothing else can give you. You become a better thinker
and your possibilities opens up in front of your eyes. Given the deep rooted
structural inequalities, black women are trapped in poverty. There is no
intergenerational wealth transfer when women remain underinvested throughout
their lifetime. However, when more black women get educated, hope blooms. A new
generation of leaders emerge in the form of little girls having role models in
their own communities. Further, global progress is stirred with more black
girls accessing education
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