By Rebecca Stanley
“Gender diversity is not just good for women; it’s good
for anyone who wants results.” —Melinda French Gates2
Even in 2024, the global economy continues to leave women out of the equation. When evaluating equal access to sustainable jobs and educational opportunities around the world, it’s clear that certain demographics suffer more than others. Women living in the rural communities of Southern Asia lack basic access to educational and vocational opportunities that many others take for granted.
The United Nation’s study on Women in the Global Economy reported that women and children are more likely to suffer in natural disasters, work without or for less wages than men, bear the burden of unpaid household responsibilities, and be victimized by workplace sexual harassment.
“Deeply rooted biases against women, manifesting in unequal access to sexual and reproductive health, unequal political representation, economic disparities and a lack of legal protection, among other issues, prevent tangible progress.”3
Negative factors which inhibit the potential of these women include cultural and social biases that restrict access to education and allow prolific acts of sexual violence.
Cultural barriers and lack of educational opportunities
Oftentimes, in rural village communities, families won’t invest in their daughter’s education because she will leave them for her in-laws. That daughter is expected to be married, living with, and helping her husband’s family—and too many times, all before the age of eighteen. If basic resources are limited within the household, it’s difficult for these families to provide even simple necessities like feminine products which would enable daughters to continue their schooling through puberty. What is unthinkable for many in more digital economies, is a depressing reality for women still living in a mostly agrarian society.
Still today, there are rural areas of India where it is illegal for women to open a bank account without a man’s signature. This perpetuates a system of control by male family members and encourages problematic female neglect.
UNICEF reports that of the 640 million women worldwide who were married as children, 290 million of them reside in South Asia.4 It’s more than double the next largest group of 127 million child brides living in Sub-Saharan Africa. Numbers that ought to be zero are in the millions.
Saddled with a marriage, household duties, and small children to care for, it’s no wonder that the average South Asian woman struggles to finish school.
Sexual violence
There’s a shocking lack of protection for women in the Global South. According to the World Health Organization, “[t]he regions of Oceania, Southern Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa have the highest prevalence rates of intimate partner violence among women aged 15-49, ranging from 33% – 51%.”5
Sadly, there are new, horrifying accounts of sexual assault and murder of women coming from India every year. Most recently, protesters took to the streets in a march called ‘Reclaim the Night.’ The march protested the brutal murder of a medical student who had fallen asleep in a conference room after a 36-hour shift and was brutally raped and killed.
Time Magazine explained, “sexually violent crimes against women in India are now so common that a report by the National Crime Records Bureau revealed that the country recorded 1 rape case every 16 minutes in 2022.”6
Safety is key but opportunity must follow.
We rob ourselves when we rob women of viable job opportunities
If we continue to fail women in the Global South, then we ALL lose. The potential global revenue—to the tune of a staggering $7 TRILLION USD—we’re missing out on is a result of one fixable thing: the lack of sustainable and accessible economic empowerment for women.
Beyond the human right’s violation, how does this impact the global economy? To see the full picture, it’s important to study the changes in industries where women are better supported in their educational and vocational endeavors.
In 2018, the World Economic Forum reported:
[Women’s] participation in the economy would stimulate wider benefits. Studies of economies as varied as Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, Ethiopia, and the United Kingdom, suggest that women generally devote more of the household budget to education, health, and nutrition than men.
Societies with greater gender equality not only offer better socioeconomic opportunities for women, but also tend to grow faster and more equitably. There are gains in poverty reduction, environmental sustainability, consumer choice, innovation and decision-making on a wider set of issues.7
Give women equal opportunities and equal pay, and we all reap the benefits.
Groups like UN Women try to shine a light on the ignored realities holding the global economy back. It’s a grim picture but one that can be made right. The adoption of educational and financial programs made with consideration for the unique challenges specific to women and girls would grant better social and economic outcomes.
So, what do these educational and financial programs for rural women in South Asia look like? The short, two-fold answer:
1) Flexible educational opportunities covered by scholarships and financial aid.
2) Micro-financing programs with vocational training and career mentorship groups.
The long answer is a bit more nuanced. Local and state markets and cultural norms must be factored in. The financial situation and expectations for a woman in a rural part of the US will be remarkably different than a woman in a remote village of India. Similarities may include an uneven responsibility for household and childcare needs. But a small business like a tailor shop making sarees would struggle in Small Town, USA. And where the American woman would have easier internet access and can attend classes in her evening hours, the Indian woman has a much smaller window to log online.
Village economies in South Asia depend on a reliable food production and distribution system, crafted household necessities, and animal husbandry. By providing skills training for cow and goat rearing, sewing and tailoring, and produce sales—to name a few—women can build small businesses with positive community impact. And when a village has profitable, thriving businesses, its people can improve their livelihood and boost surrounding economies as well.
The benefit is exponential.
Investing in women living the world’s poorest regions helps to build a better future for us all from the ground up. Back in 2015, the consulting firm McKinsey & Company estimated a $12 trillion increase by 2025 in the global economy if countries worked to correct gender parity gaps.8 At the time of this article’s publication, McKinsey hadn’t followed up to report on the progress made—or lack thereof—towards this noble effort. They did report that $1 trillion is at stake simply due to the higher, unaddressed health risks women face.9
Looking back on the past decade, it’s unclear whether awareness has gained enough of a foothold to have traction towards a better future. It’ll be interesting to read an update from groups like UN Women, UNICEF, and McKinsey over what successes and failures have contributed or detracted from the worldwide economy.
This overwhelming and often incomprehensible problem isn’t going away. And there’s no quick fix. But we are not powerless. Intentional, effective investments in small businesses run by women in South Asia as well as better health and safety protections are just one way we can help balance this equation.
Tiny steps can build momentum.
Kairos, means just the right moment or optimal time. Whether it’s addressing injustice or harnessing opportunities, we, as a movement of women, enter those crucial moments… and turn potential into transformation in a woman’s life.
The idea of ‘Kairos’ really hits home when thinking about women who stand to gain from opportunities such as education and microloans. Through support, we can open doors for women, doors that were once firmly shut. Harsh work environments and poverty are replaced by a better way of life for women and their families—true transformation. Get updates from the field with stories from women experiencing
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