How can we eliminate gender disparity in schools - International Women’s Day

The International Women’s Day is observed globally on 8 March every year. Though this day is approached and celebrated in different ways around the world heeding to the culture and history of the land, the focus is always to value women’s role in the society and their achievements. This day is celebrated based on various themes, with the theme for 2018 being ‘Press for Progress’. This theme rightly comes at a time when the findings of World Economic Forum's 2017 Global Gender Gap Report suggest that we might be more or less two centuries away from attaining gender parity. But, growing awareness, activism, support, and not to forget the crucial role of NGOs, has created a global movement for women empowerment and gender parity.

In India, gender disparity begins right from the birth of a girl child, and in certain cases in the prenatal stage itself. A forthcoming background paper on female literacy that was released in a blog-post by New York-based International Commission on Financing Global Education Opportunity (or Education Commission) indicates that India is under-performing compared to its neighbours, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal. According to the report, India has a proportion of 48% women who completed primary schooling of five years and were literate, compared to 92% in Nepal, 74% in Pakistan and 54% in Bangladesh. The report points that India stands at a pretty low ranking in global indices too. If the 51 developing countries that were being compared, are ranked by the earliest grade at which at least 50% of women are literate then India ranks 38th among the 51 countries, whereas its neighbouring counterparts - Nepal ranks 3rd, Pakistan ranks 8th, and Bangladesh ranks 24th. This indicates the need for a result-oriented implementation of several programmes introduced by government and NGOs for children to create awareness for protecting girl child and providing them the equal right to education.

The main reason for gender disparity stems from the belief that girl child is a burden for the family, and her education is not of as much priority since she will be married of whereas the son will grow up to be the earning member for the family. It is estimated that about 3-million girls are out of school in India. And, in rural India only 1 in 100 girls reach Grade 12. While the number of girls attending primary school is roughly equal to boys, the gap widens in secondary school as they are forced to drop-out in view of stereotypical roles of helping at home or getting married. To deal with this situation we need to work as a community and support girl children through sponsor a child platform of various NGOs.

In order to uplift women and reduce gender parity, the Government of India has taken several measures such as Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Yojana, Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana, Mid-Day Meal Scheme, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan, and the like. In addition, Punjab has recently announced a programme to encourage girls from all backgrounds to get quality education with the provision of free education in the state system right from nursery school to doctorate level at university. Many national and international leaders have time and again pressed upon the issue of education and empowerment of women and there are many NGOs for children that are directly working for safeguarding girl child rights.

Educating girls hugely benefits the family in particular and the entire country in general. It is time we take some tangible steps towards the notion, "If you educate a woman, you educate a family. If you educate a girl, you educate the future" because the large proportion of illiterate females is one of the main reasons for the low literacy rate in India. And, there is no denying of the fact that only an educated mother can educate her children. Hence, it is time to break down barriers that prevent girls from going to school by getting involved to support the role of NGOs and government initiatives. And, what better way to counter gender disparity than sponsoring education for a girl child on this International Women’s Day. So, go ahead and sponsor a child, a girl child who is the backbone of prosperity and development.

Five Reasons Why You Should Invest in Education

‘An investment in knowledge pays the best interest’ – these wise words of Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers of The United States of America, are timelessly true. Education is the most important tool for the pursuit of knowledge. School education in particular, is of paramount importance in shaping young hearts and minds and securing a bright future for them. Keeping the flame of education alive, though, needs collective effort and significant investment. One way to invest in education is to donate to charity, towards organisations that work towards it. The Akshaya Patra Foundation, an NGO that supports the cause of ‘food for education’, serving nutritious mid-day meals to over 1.6 million children across India, strives to keep the light of education burning in the lives of its school children.

Why, you ask, is investment in education so important? Here are five reasons for it:

To secure the future of children

Children are the future and they deserve a tomorrow that comes with financial, physical and emotional security. Education is a means towards this end. It boosts future prospects, encourages their dreams and empowers them to pursue them. Without it, job security and quality employment are difficult to come by and the scope for advancement is limited.

Education breeds gender equality

The world and all the wonderful opportunities it presents, is for both, men and women to inherit. Education plays an important part in freeing people from the shackles of restrictive, outdated mindsets. As the popular saying goes, ‘if you educate a girl, you educate the entire family’. Well-educated adults, thus, challenge traditional gender roles and help create a fairer, more gender-equal world.

A tool for nation-building

If a nation has to progress – economically and socially – education is the first necessity that needs to be met. A well-qualified workforce is a formidable asset that attracts and multiplies investment in the country, leading to more jobs, higher incomes, better standards of living and greater prosperity for the nation. It also leads to a rise in a country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). A sense of pride develops among citizens when a nation progresses impressively and provides them with great motivation to strive for its further development.

Leads to a healthier population

Education brings knowledge of health and hygiene. Healthy practices in daily life are adopted by well-educated people, since they are made aware and convinced of the rationale behind them. Be it everyday practices, issues related to maternal and child health, or general awareness about steps to take to ensure a healthier future – education is greatly instrumental in teaching people about the same.

It gives back to the giver

Donating to charity benefits the donor as well – it avails them income tax exemption. Under sections 35AC and 80GGA of the Income Tax Act 1961, every donation upwards of Rs 500 made to a registered non-profit organisation, is eligible for 100% tax exemption. Isn’t it wonderful, the fact that investing in education avails tax benefits for the one making the donation?

Education, thus, is the need of the hour and Akshaya Patra is striving hard to ensure that no child is deprived of it due to hunger. So, make the decision to the cause of ‘unlimited food for education’ and make a donation towards it now.

NGOs Role in Bridging Social Justice - A Universal Right

In his message for World Day of Social Justice, Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of UN, said: "With exclusion and inequality on the rise, we must step up efforts to ensure that all people, without discrimination, are able to access opportunities to improve their lives and those of others." After the UN adopted the declaration in 2007, the world has been coming together annually to recognise and celebrate World Day of Social Justice on February 20. The day supports gender equality, rights of indigenous peoples and migrants, and peaceful co-existence. 

We, at Akshaya Patra – an NGO in India, believe social justice is a universal right and every person should be given equal opportunity and a fair chance. Here are three aspects we would like to observe on this important day.

Social Equity

Social injustices negatively impact humanitarian efforts of spreading peace, upholding of rights, equality, and others. In the times of Information Age, where every economy is an active participant of nation building, it becomes an important decision for each one of us to ensure fairness prevails. What does that mean? Remove casteism treatment and support every individual – be it in the field of education or employment, consider their ability and skills and not their background. If not, empower them as they deserve a fair chance.

Gender Equality

Until a few decades ago, women belonged to an isolated community. The concept of gender equality sprang as people began to discuss the oppression faced by women and why women were the victims of basic rights. Today, in most countries, men and women have achieved their dream and continue to empower the disadvantaged class. Akshaya Patra supports gender equality and believes in constructing a society where both the gender groups are given the same rights and opportunities.

Sustainable Prosperity

It means sustainable development of earthy beings – not just humans but environment as well. With basic needs, knowledge and abilities, we are responsible for ensuring our surrounding is protected. And all of this starts with teaching children about sustainability. To safe guard the environment from obstruction, we must take action now and spread awareness.

Mid-Day Meal Programme by Akshaya Patra brings children together – for better health, for education and for equal opportunities. Keeping out discrimination, the programme also promotes socialization as children sit together for lunch. Playing the role of an NGO, thus, helps the economy in nation-building; an inclusive goal India is heading for.

Akshaya Patra accepts charity donations and these donations are tax exempted in India. You can support Food for Education by sponsoring a child’s meals!

Make India a Better Place for Girls

Girls are as important as boys. But many of us are yet to completely accept the fact and in several parts of India, girls are still considered as a burden to the family and treated inferior to boys. Moreover, they are denied some basic rights of children like education, freedom and nutrition.  Changing this picture is the main aim behind observing the National Girl Child Day on January 24 every year in India.

Compared to the past, the situation has improved significantly. However, we still have a long way to go to make our nation a better place for girls. There is no doubt that we will reach our destination one day. But to achieve this faster, we have to take care of several elements mainly education for girls.

This is because education is best way to empower girl children or achieve gender equality. An educated girl is not only an asset to her family but to the whole community.  Education gives girls the confidence and skills to work, manage and run a family and help in the betterment of the society.

Interestingly, educating a girl can help avoid some issues our society is currently facing including early pregnancy, malnutrition and infant mortality. Also investing in a girl’s education can bring more returns than that of a boy.  Research shows that an extra year in schooling leads to 15 percent increase in a woman’s future earnings compared to the 11 percent in men.  

Undernutrition is another issue which affects girl children in India. Shockingly, about 47% of teenage girls in the nation are underweight. An undernourished girl child will grow up as an undernourished mother and will give birth to stunted children.

Similarly, child marriage and early pregnancy are the other two issues which haunt Indian girls today. Millions of girls are still married off before 18 and become mothers at an early age.

In an effort to solve these issues and to highlight the importance of education for girls, the Indian Government has introduced several schemes. ‘Beti bachao, beti padhao,’ ‘Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY), ‘Nutrition programme for adolescent girls,’  ‘The Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls (RGSEAG) – Sabla’ and the ‘National Scheme of Incentives to Girls for Secondary Education’ are some of them.

Also some NGOs have come forward to help girls. The Akshaya Patra Foundation is one of them. The NGO’s Mid-Day Meal Programme has helped improve girls’ education, helped bring them back to school and boost the nutritional status of girl students.

Educate Girls, Nanhi Kali, Rasta, Save a Girl Child, Plan India are some of the other charities who work for gender equality, girl’s education and welfare of girl children in India.

Despite all these efforts, India is still considered the worst country in the world for girls. On this Girl Child Day, let us change this image -join hands, fight these issues together and provide education for girls, so that India will become a dream land for girls across the whole world.