FoodForThought:JanuaryEmpoweringWomenthroughLiteracy

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InthisissueofFoodforThought:

♀ MonthlyTheme♀ MillenniumDevelopmentGoals♀ DiscussionQues<ons♀ Voices:InHerOwnWords

“Women’sliteracyimproveslivelihoods,leadstobe>erchildandmaternalhealth,andfavorsgirls’accesstoeduca?on.Inshort,newlyliteratewomenhaveaposi?verippleeffectonalldevelopmentindicators.”‐‐IrinaBokova,Director‐GeneraloftheUNEduca;onal,Scien;ficandCulturalOrganiza;on(UNESCO)

“Literatewomenaremorelikelytosendtheirchildren,especiallytheirgirls,toschool.Byacquiringliteracy,womenbecomemoreeconomicallyself‐reliantandmoreac?velyengagedintheircountry’ssocial,poli?calandculturallife.”‐‐UnitedNa;onsSecretary‐GeneralBanKi‐moon

MonthlyTheme:LiteracyInwar‐tornregionsshortoffoodandcleanwater,educa<onhardlyseemsapriority.AJerall,whatgoodisliteracytowomenwhoselivesareatstake?Atthestartoftheinterna<onalcharitymovementaJerWorldWarI,aidorganiza<onssoughttomeetbasicneeds,suchasprovidingfood,water,andclothingtothoseontheedgeoflife.Butassoonasthoseaidorganiza<onspulledoutoftheregion,thepeoplecon<nuedtostarve.Nowweknoweduca?on,par?cularlyliteracy,providesasustainablemeansoffigh?ngpoverty.Ratherthanofferingatemporaryfix,providingliteracytoimpoverishedpopula4onshelpspeopletohelpthemselves.

WhatisLiteracy?TheUNEduca<onal,Scien<ficandCulturalOrganiza<ondefinesliteracyasthe"abilitytoiden<fy,understand,

interpret,create,communicate,computeanduseprintedandwriYenmaterialsassociatedwithvaryingcontexts.Literacyinvolvesacon<nuumoflearninginenablingindividualstoachievetheirgoals,todeveloptheirknowledgeandpoten<al,andtopar<cipatefullyintheircommunityandwidersociety."

UnitedNa?onsSecretary‐GeneralBanKi‐moonrecentlynotedthetransforma<veeffectonbothafamilyandthewidercommunitywhenawomanisliterate:“Everyliteratewomanmarksavictoryoverpoverty.”

GlobalLiteracyRatesAccordingtoUNanalysisthereareclosetofourbillionliteratepeopleworldwideand776millionpeoplelackminimumliteracyskills.Oneinfiveadultsintheworldareilliterate;75millionchildrendon’taYendschoolandmanymoreaYendirregularly.Almost35countrieshavealiteracyrateoflessthan50%andapopula?onofmorethan10millionpeoplewhoareilliterate.85%percentoftheworld'silliteratepopula<ondwellinthose35countries;two‐thirdsoftheworld’silliteratearewomen.

LiteracyandHumanTraffickingEduca<onandliteracyisanimportantsteptoboththepreven<onofsextraffickingandtherehabilita<onofvic<ms.AsdepictedinthedocumentaryBornintoBrothels,girlsbornintoredlightdistrictsreceiveanopportunitytoescapeafutureofpros<tu<onwhentheyareprovidedwithaneduca<on.Literacyandskillstraininghelpsgirlstofindjobselsewhere.NGOswhichpreventhumantraffickingtypicallyincorporateliteracyintotheirprograms:forexample,oneorganiza<oninGuatemalacallsitselfLeerespoder,meaning“readingispower.”DFW’sfeaturedprograminAugust,SomalyMam,offersliteracyaspartofitsrehabilita<onprocessforvic<msofsextrafficking.

LiteracyandInfantMortalityStudieshaveconfirmedthestrongcorrela?onbetweeninfantmortalityandtheilliteracyof

women.Ontheotherhand,literacyamongwomenisassociatedwithlowinfantmortalityandbeYerhealthofchildren.Infantmortalityinaffluentsocie<esaverages8perthousandlivebirths;inthe50poorestcountriesitaverages95perthousand—nearly12<mesashigh.StudiesshowhigherfemaleliteracyhasalsobeenlinkedtodecreasedriskinthespreadofsexuallytransmiYeddiseases,includingAIDS.Thesefindingsindicatethatinless‐developedcountriessuchasIndiaandAfghanistan,babiesborntoilliteratemothershavelessofachanceofsurviving.

Literacy:TheKeytoSustainableLivelihoodsInIndia,thereistheliteracyrateformenis73%andtheliteracyrateforwomenstandsat48%.Whileanes<mated35%ofIndiansareilliterate,JharkhandisoneofsevenstatesinIndiawithaveryhighilliteracyrate.TheliteracyrateforJharkhandis54.13%;femaleliteracyrateis39.38%.Inotherwords,themajorityofwomen‐‐morethan60%‐‐inJharkhandareilliterate.

Matrichaya,ourfeaturedprogram,whichserveswomeninJharkhand,notesthatintheirbaseline surveyswomenareinmostneedofbasiceduca?on.MatrichayaprovidesliteracyprogramstowomenandgirlsinJharkhand,alongwithhealthcare,legalawareness,andskillstraining,includingbeautyparlorassistant,fashion‐designingassistant,foodprocessing,mushroomcul<va<on,andgardeningandnurseryraising.Basicliteracytrainingprecedesandamplifiesotherservices.

Aswehaveseen,literacyiscorrelatedwithinfantmortality,andhelpspreventhumantrafficking.Literacyisalsolinkedtofoodsecurityandimprovedhealthofwomenandtheirfamilies.Infact,literacytouchesonall“developmentindicators”astheUnitedNa<onsstates.Thepoli<cal,cultural,economicalandsociallivesofwomen‐‐andmen‐‐improvewhenmorewomenareeducated.

UnitedNa?onsMillenniumDevelopmentGoalsTheMillenniumDevelopmentGoals(MDGs)areeightobjec<vesdesignedbytheUNtoimprovesocialandeconomiccondi<onsindevelopingcountriesbytheendof2015.EachmonthwefocusontheMDGsimpactedbyourthemeandourmonthlyfeaturedproject.ThismonthwehighlightthreeMDGs:

Goal2:AchieveUniversalEduca?onThisgoalseekstoensurethat,by2015,childreneverywhere,boysandgirlsalike,willbeabletocompleteafullcourseofprimaryschooling.TheUNrecognizesthatSub‐SaharanAfricaandSouthernAsiaarehometothevastmajorityofchildrenoutofschool,andthatinequalitythwartsprogresstowarduniversaleduca<on.

Goal3:PromoteGenderEquality&EmpowerWomenTheUNhopestouseeduca<onasameansforempoweringwomenandhasiden<fiedseveralwaysinwhichagenderdisparityineduca<onhashinderedwomen’ssuccess.TheUNwebsitepointsoutthatpovertyisamajorbarriertoeduca<on,especiallyamongoldergirls.

Goal5:ImproveMaternalHealthTheUNrecognizesthatmostmaternaldeathscouldbeavoided.GivingbirthisespeciallyriskyinSouthernAsiaandSub‐SaharanAfrica,whereskilledcareislacking.Povertyandalackofeduca<onalsoleadtohighadolescentbirthrisks,anduseofcontracep<onislowestamongthepoorestwomenandthosewithnoeduca<on..

ADozenReasonsWhyLiteracy,BasicEduca?onandEffec?veTeaching

areEssen?alandJustFromtheWorldLiteracyIni4a4ve,Inc.

I)AchievingHumanRights.Educa<onandLiteracyarefundamentalHumanRights(TheUniversalDeclara<onofHumanRights,Ar<cle26‐Educa<on)2)Promo?ngEquality.Literacyandeduca<onpromotesgenderequality.3)ReducingPoverty.Literacyandeduca<onareessen<alfirststepsofnearlyallini<a<vestoreduceandeliminateglobalpoverty.4)ReducingPreventableDeaths.Femaleliteracyandeduca<on–reducechildandmaternalmortality.5)PromotesGoodGovernanceandIndividualFreedoms.Literacyandeduca<onmakestyrannicalformsofgovernmentlesslikelyandgoodgovernanceandtheexpressionofindividualfreedomsmoreachievable.6)FightstheOppressionofCertainPeoples.Literacyandeduca<onmakestheoppressionofcertainpeopleslesspossibleandlessenduringwhilepromo<ngtheexpressionofindividualfreedomsmorerobustanddefini<ve.7)PromotesChildhoodHealth.Femaleliteracyandeduca<on–improvechildnutri<onandhealth.8)FosterstheManagementofParenthood.Femaleliteracyandeduca<on–lowerfer<lityrates.9)ProtectsGirlsfromAbuse,Exploita?onandSexuallyTransmi>edDisease.Femaleliteracyandeduca<on–protectgirlsfromabuse,exploita<on,HIV/AIDSandothersexuallytransmiYeddiseases.10)ReducesInhumaneInjus?cesinSchool.Thegreatestformofpreventableinjus<ceineduca<onisthefailuretoprepareadequatelyachildforthesubsequentgradeandeffec<veteachingtechnologyremovesthisbarriertoayoungchild’sachievingtheirpoten<al.11)PromotestheAchievementofMillenniumDevelopmentGoals.UniversalPrimaryEduca<on(UPE)isanMDG.

Ques?onsforDiscussion:1. ThisissueofFoodforThoughtdiscusseshowwomen’sliteracyaffectshumantraffickingandinfantmortality.Inwhatothercircumstancescouldliteracyhelptofightpovertyandgenderinequality?

2. Educa<onofwomeninWesterncountries,par<cularlyintheU.S.,hasexplodedingrowth,andsince1980womenhaveincreasinglyoutnumberedmenoncollegecampuses.Whydoyouthinkthisisso?Andwhatdoesthissayaboutwomenandliteracyinthedevelopingworld?

3. Worldilliteracyasapropor<onofworldpopula<onwashalvedbetween1970and2005.In1950,only50%oftheworldcouldreadandwrite,andby2030someop<mis<ces<matessayupto90%willhavetheseabili<es.Howmightawomen’sliteracyrateof90%changetheworld?

4. Somestudiessuggestthatwomenworklongerhoursandexpendmoreenergythanmen.Inaddi<on,whilewomeninmanyculturesgetadispropor<onatelysmallshareofhouseholdfood,theymayexpendalargerpropor<onofhouseholdenergy.Howcanavailabilityofschoolingandliteracyaddresssuchtradi<onalno<onsaboutthesexualdivisionoflabor?Whattradi<ons,customsandobstaclespreventorimpedewomen’sliteracy?

Voices

ChintaThisisapictureofChintawhohasbeeninvolvedwithMatrichayasinceitsincep<on.SheandherdaughterTinawhosehusbandabandonedher,weretrainedinvoca<onalskillsbyMatrichayaandarenoweconomicallyindependent.Tina'schildaYendstheMatrichayaschoolandisoneofthe

smartestkidsinclass.Thisiswhatshehadtosay,translatedfromHindi:

"MatrichayawiththesupportofDFWhashelpedthreegenera<onsinmyfamilylivebeYertodayandhopeforafutureofourdreams.MydaughterandIhaveacquiredskillstosupportourselvesandmygrandchildisgetngthepreciousgiJofliteracy."

ChintaanddaughterTinawithgrandson

Mindy Friddle Yesterday, 7:41 PM

MajwoonNishaMajwoonisthememberofSelfHelpGroup‘Shabnam’inChandwey,KankeRoad,Ranchi.Sheisaverypoorwomenwhocomesfromaminoritycommmunityandwasstrugglingforlivelihoodofherfamily.HerhusbandishandicappedandfullydependsonhiswifeMajwoonNisha.ShecametoChanchalaMishra,PresidentofMatrichayaforsomefinancialhelp.ShewasconvincedonreasoningofMatrichaya’sPresidentthatgivinghermoneywouldnotsolveherproblemsandthatjob‐orientedvoca<onaltrainingiswhatsheneeded.AtrainingofBamboohandicraJwasarrangedbyMatrichayawiththesupportof‘DININGFORWOMEN’USA.Majwoontookthetrainingandnowshehasbecomearolemodelforhercommunity.Shesays: “IneverthoughtthatIcouldstandonmyfeet.GodgavemethestrengthandcouragetojointheworkforceandMatrichayashowedmetheway.AJergetngvoca<onaltraininginbamboocraJingnowIammakingbambooproductslike‐tablelamps,bamboo‐curtains,leYer‐box,wall‐hangingetc.AndsellingitthrougharetailsellingcounteratAQUAWORLD‐amusementplaceinRanchi.NowIaminaposi<ontoearntomeetmydaytodayneedsanddon’thavetobedependentoncharity.IhavefullfaithonmyselfandalsoonthehelpofMatrichaya.Iwillcon<nuetomakevariousproductsofbamboocraJing.andwillbeabletosupportmyfamily.”

ZahidaKhatoonZahidaisapoorMuslimwomenwithsixchildren.HerhusbandisaRickshawpullerandallfamilymembersdependonhisearning.HehardlygetsRs.70‐80perday.ZahidajoinedSelfHelpGroup“Shabnam”underMatrichaya.Shestates: “Iwassimplydoinghouseworkandlivingontheearningofmyhusband.Ourincomewassolowthatitwasdifficulttoarrangeforfoodformychildreneveryday.ThenI joinedtheselfhelpgroupandgottrainingofbamboocraJing.NowIammakingvariouskindsofbambooitemsandsellingthrough“Matrichaya”.Thevoca<onaltraininghasbecomeaboonformyfamilyandnowIaminposi<ontoprovidebasicneedofmychildren.MyhusbandisalsohelpingmeforfinishingthecraJs.RawmaterialsareprovidedbyMatrichayaandImakethegoodsagainstorderIamverymuchthankfultoMatrichayawhohasgivenmethelightofpathofselfhelpgroup.

RubyRubyisapoorwomanwhosurviveswithherchildrenandhusbandwhoisaautodriver.Rubypainfullynarrates: “Ibelongstoapoorfamilyandwiththeearningofmyhusbandwewerehardlyabletoarrangefordailymeals.OnadviceofZahidaImetthePresidentofMatrichayawhoadvisedmetoaYendavoca<onaltrainingonfoodprocessingarrangedbyMATRICHAYA.Ilearnedtheskillsofmakingsauces,jam,jelly,picklesetc.NowIammakingalltheseitemsandsellingitandearningenoughtomeetourdailyneed.MydaughterMuskanisalsogetngfreeeduca<oninMatrichaya

Primaryschool.Ourliveshavechangedandallourfamilymembersarethankfultomatrichayathatshowedusthewayofsurvivalandalsogavethestrengthtobeselfdependent.”

Parwa?MundaParwa<MundalivesatDekitolavillageofKankeblock,Ranchi.Itis15KMfarawayfromcapitalofJharkhand,Ranchiandtherearenofacili<eslikeroads,electricity,drinkingwaterandevenitemslikesalt,keroseneoil,cookingoiletc. “ThepeopleofDekitolahadtogoto15kmtomeetourbasicrequirements.IcometoknowthatMatrichayaisavoluntaryorganiza<onthatisrenderingservicesforupliJmentofpoortribalwomen.ImetPresidentofMatrichaya.Sheshowedheraffec<onandlistenedtoourproblempeacefullyandinno<meshefixedupadatetovisitmyvillage.Shecomeandmetwithvillagers.Onthesamedayonherguidanceweformedaselfhelpgroupandstartedweeklymee<ngandeachmembersaved40Rs.Onseeingourdifficulty,MatrichayaopenedaGroceryShopforus.ShopwasinaurgatedbyaMemberoftheLegisla<veAssemblyofKankeconsituency.PresidentofMatrichayarequestedtheM.L.A.whowasthechiefguesttoprovidewater,electricity,roadandhehasagreedtofulfillourdemands.WeareverygratefultoMatrichayaforhelpingusanddoingsuchnoblework”.

Parwa<saysthatnowtheymeettheirdailyneedsthroughthisMatrichayagroceryshopwhichwasopenedwithhelpoffundsprovidedbyDiningforWomenandthereisalsothelightofhopetogetwater,roadandelectricityfacili<esintheircommunity.

Sources:hYp://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?Cr=literacy&Cr1=&NewsID=35859hYp://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/hYp://www.worldliteracyini<a<ve.org/literacy%20and%20jus<ce/literacy_and_jus<ce.htmhYp://www.commissiononhealth.org/PDF/tab6_78.pdfhYp://www.huffingtonpost.com/seth‐freeman/hope‐for‐literacy‐‐‐‐and_b_616593.htmlhYp://www.springerlink.com/content/52kj22kp47824726/BornintoBrothels,DocumentaryhYp://www.ny<mes.com/2009/10/29/opinion/29kristof.html