“If you educate a boy, you train a man. If you educate a girl, you train a
village”.
Women’s education is the foundation upon which everything else must be
built.
Education elevates the status of people and helps them to break down the
divides that separate and isolate in terms of gender, sex, caste, race and so
on. At its best, education is a breaker of shackles—the shackles of exclusion
and insularity. Without good quality education, one can still be at the
starting point with severe disadvantage. Education has always opened the
wide doors of opportunity.
According to the 2011 census, male literacy rate in India is 82.14% while
female literacy rate is 65.46%. This low level of literacy has a negative
impact on the lives of women and their families. Moreover it adversely
affects the economic development of the country too. Numerous studies
show that illiterate women have high levels of fertility and mortality, poor
nutritional status, low earning potential, and little autonomy within the
household. A woman’s lack of education also has a negative impact on the
health and well being of her children. For instance, a recent survey in India
found that infant mortality was inversely related to mother’s educational
level.
The Government of India is committed to women’s empowerment as evident
in the constitutional provisions. The Constitution guarantees to all Indian
women equality (Article 14), no discrimination by the State (Article 15(1)),
equality of opportunity (Article 16), and equal pay for equal work (Article
39(d)). In addition, it allows special provisions to be made by the State in
favour of women and children (Article 15(3)), renounces practices
derogatory to the dignity of women (Article 51(A) (e)), and also allows for
provisions to be made by the State for securing just and humane conditions
of work and for maternity relief (Article 42).
Under the Rights to Education Act which was passed in the year 2009, every
child between ages 6 and 14 was guaranteed a free and compulsory
education, which saw enrollment figures spiraling at record high of 98%.
Still there is alarming difference in literacy rates among different states and
regions.
The state of Kerala has the highest female literacy and the lowest infant
mortality rates and the highest life expectancies of all the states. The state
of Bihar has the lowest rate of female literacy rate and the lowest life
expectancy. This shows the relationship between female literacy and health
standards.
Ultimately, when women do well, society does better. A study of 60
developing countries estimated that the economic loss from not educating
girls at the same level as boys amounted to $90 billion a year.
Women are more likely to spend their resources on health and education,
dispersing its benefits across society and across generations. One study
suggests that women invest up to 90 percent of their earnings this way, as
opposed to just 30-40 percent for men.
So we must carry the banner for women’s education. Women’s education is
not a threat, it is a blessing. We must make it a global priority, because it is
one of the leading causes of our day.
Education produces the ripple effect in the progress and development of
humanity. So let us let loose an earnest plea: Respect our girls and educate
them.
Dr SAJEENA SHUKKOOR, HSST (ENGLISH), THIRUVANANTHAPURAM
click here to download this file
village”.
Women’s education is the foundation upon which everything else must be
built.
Education elevates the status of people and helps them to break down the
divides that separate and isolate in terms of gender, sex, caste, race and so
on. At its best, education is a breaker of shackles—the shackles of exclusion
and insularity. Without good quality education, one can still be at the
starting point with severe disadvantage. Education has always opened the
wide doors of opportunity.
According to the 2011 census, male literacy rate in India is 82.14% while
female literacy rate is 65.46%. This low level of literacy has a negative
impact on the lives of women and their families. Moreover it adversely
affects the economic development of the country too. Numerous studies
show that illiterate women have high levels of fertility and mortality, poor
nutritional status, low earning potential, and little autonomy within the
household. A woman’s lack of education also has a negative impact on the
health and well being of her children. For instance, a recent survey in India
found that infant mortality was inversely related to mother’s educational
level.
The Government of India is committed to women’s empowerment as evident
in the constitutional provisions. The Constitution guarantees to all Indian
women equality (Article 14), no discrimination by the State (Article 15(1)),
equality of opportunity (Article 16), and equal pay for equal work (Article
39(d)). In addition, it allows special provisions to be made by the State in
favour of women and children (Article 15(3)), renounces practices
derogatory to the dignity of women (Article 51(A) (e)), and also allows for
provisions to be made by the State for securing just and humane conditions
of work and for maternity relief (Article 42).
Under the Rights to Education Act which was passed in the year 2009, every
child between ages 6 and 14 was guaranteed a free and compulsory
education, which saw enrollment figures spiraling at record high of 98%.
Still there is alarming difference in literacy rates among different states and
regions.
The state of Kerala has the highest female literacy and the lowest infant
mortality rates and the highest life expectancies of all the states. The state
of Bihar has the lowest rate of female literacy rate and the lowest life
expectancy. This shows the relationship between female literacy and health
standards.
Ultimately, when women do well, society does better. A study of 60
developing countries estimated that the economic loss from not educating
girls at the same level as boys amounted to $90 billion a year.
Women are more likely to spend their resources on health and education,
dispersing its benefits across society and across generations. One study
suggests that women invest up to 90 percent of their earnings this way, as
opposed to just 30-40 percent for men.
So we must carry the banner for women’s education. Women’s education is
not a threat, it is a blessing. We must make it a global priority, because it is
one of the leading causes of our day.
Education produces the ripple effect in the progress and development of
humanity. So let us let loose an earnest plea: Respect our girls and educate
them.
Dr SAJEENA SHUKKOOR, HSST (ENGLISH), THIRUVANANTHAPURAM
click here to download this file
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