Today New York Times published a very well-written and compelling story (The Women’s Crusade), part of a special issue on Saving The World’s Women.
In the 19th century, the paramount moral challenge was slavery. In the 20th century, it was totalitarianism. In this century, it is the brutality inflicted on so many women and girls around the globe: sex trafficking, acid attacks, bride burnings and mass rape.
The story of Saima illustrates how education and economic empowerment can help women bridge the wide gulf between servitude and fulfillment.
Saima is a Pakstani woman who was beaten by her husband and ostracized for not bearing sons. Her mother-in-law suggested that her husband take a second wife. That changed when Saima built a successful embroidery business (started with microfinance loans).
Now, she is no longer beaten. Her mother-in-law and husband have stopped mentioning the second wife issue. And Saima’s daughters are going to school.
In developed countries, economic empowerment might not mean the difference between life and death. But I do believe it can mean the difference between life and a better life. I suppose that’s why the topic of personal finance is such a compelling issue for me, and why I’m so interested in the intersection of economic issues, women’s development, and the expanding role of women in society.
Political and social empowerment are important, but women’s economic empowerment is a crucial ingredient in enforcing laws and changing societal attitudes.
Since I was young, my mother has drilled into me the importance of financial empowerment. There’s not much emphasis on the acquisitive power of wealth, but very heavy emphasis on the security and independence that financial independence brings.
My mother always said, “money doesn’t mean that you are more valuable as a person or you are smarter or that you’re better or that you’ve lived a more honorable life. But money will give you choices. Money will make you heard.”
The title of this post, “Women hold up half the sky” comes from a Chinese saying. There’s another Chinese saying that I think is equally applicable: “Those who have money have a loud voice.” For women’s voices to be heard, economic empowerment has to be a goal.
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Great article. I am hoping to take a microfinance trip one day.
http://www.kiva.org
A website that lets ordinary people, like us, give loans as little as $25 to help empower people in poverty.
Your mother sounds like a very smart woman. She states so simply what I often struggle to explain.
Overall, nice post! (And now I’m headed over to read that story you linked to….)
Ok, had to come back after reading it. Great story….thanks for the link!
The NYT’s article is very compelling as well as the quote, “Women hold up half the sky.”
The quote lead me on a fact finding mission and to your site, which involved reading a PDF (antiochedu) on the yin and yang of that quote as well.
Thanks.
Adrienne Zurub
LOVE LOVE LOVE this post. So much so that I read your entire piece to the crowd while giving a keynote speech at the 2009 Women & Money conference in Lincoln NE this weekend. My two favorite bits (hard to pick b/c it’s all so moving)…
In developed countries, economic empowerment might not mean the difference between life and death. But I do believe it can mean the difference between life and a better life. I suppose that’s why the topic of personal finance is such a compelling issue for me, and why I’m so interested in the intersection of economic issues, women’s development, and the expanding role of women in society.
“Those who have money have a loud voice.” For women’s voices to be heard, economic empowerment has to be a goal.
Bravo!
AWESOME post. Am going to retweet this. I love the story of Saima.
Money really does talk.
And like we’ve all be saying, having a lower cost of living helps your money go farther as well.
I have been reading snippets of Banker to the Poor and although it's ot a perfect system it's a darn sight better than no empowerment for these women…. Women and men should not have to be any different but sadly our modern society has created a difference and i am glad that there is fight to try and bring equality to all… Great post.