girl empowerment?

girls are among the most vulnerable members of society in many countries. the empowerment of girls is key to breaking the cycle of discrimation and violence.

cottier donzé foundation values and cares for girls and boys as equals and believes that empowering girls and women will result in significant improvements in education, health, promotion of peace and reduction of population growth.

girls empowerment is one of the most efficient, sustainable and scalable ways of improving the life and future economic wealth of societies in developing countries.

how can be girls empowered?

girl education: girls are less likely to go to school. out of the world’s 130 million out of school, 70% are girls. very often parents keep their daughters at home to help with economic and domestic activities. when a girl in a developing world receives 7 or more years of education, she marries 4 years later and has 2.2 fewer children. girls need to be educated properly! education is the only way to improve their income level and power.

gender equity: socially constructed roles too often thwart the potential of girls and women. girls and boys don’t have the same opportunities to develop their talents.

social, emotional and life skills: girls encounter difficulties in terms of loss of self-esteem and identity. it is extremely important that girls are equipped with necessary skills in order to develop the confidence and ability to make their own decisions, manage their emotions, have their feelings respected, resolve conflicts, deal with external pressures, have their questions answered, be listened to, be strong enough to say no and feel safe.

abolition of violence: physical assault, early marriage, abuse and exploitation, female genital mutilation, harmful practices are still often used against women.

improvement of legal rights: women’s knowledge about their legal rights needs to be improved.

women entrepreneurship: entrepreneurs play an essential role in driving the structural transformation from a low income, traditional economy to a modern economy. in developing countries, most microenterprises are owned and operated by women. studies show that when women and girls earn an income, they reinvest 90% of it into their families, as compared to only 30 to 40% for a man.

microfinance for women: societies develop only when girls and women are enabled to be fully contributing community members and earning a living.

education of the male peers: not only girls’ education is necessary but the raising of boys and men’s awareness is important in order to end violence against women and promote their advancement.

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