Women are powerful, unique, insightful and passionate. We don’t back down and we don’t settle. Why is it, then, that we are faced with so many challenges throughout life that relate directly to our sex? It is a fact that women are subject to a range of issues that we must deal with. Fortunately, however, there are communities and activists dedicated to alleviating these challenges for women worldwide. If you want to educate yourself on some of the many issues that are facing women both locally and internationally, this list is a good place to start. Being familiar with the difficulties women face around the world is the first step to making a difference. If you are interested in affecting change, you can follow in the footsteps of women who have established foundations and initiated activist campaigns for the empowerment of women.
International Poverty
Billions of people around the world live in poverty and hunger, and this tragedy is only made worse by the fact that women are often affected disproportionately. According to The Atlantic, nearly 70 percent of impoverished Americans are children or women. This is not just true in the United States, though women around the world suffer from poverty, unemployment and hunger at higher rates than their male counterparts. There are many charities and organizations, however, that are working to combat this systemic problem and create economic stability for women around the world who currently have none.
Lack of Educational Opportunities
Women’s plight into poverty is due, in part, to the lack of educational opportunities that are available. According to World Education, women and girls throughout the developing world are not allowed or not able to attend school. This perpetuates the cycle of impoverishment because it prevents women from gaining the skills and knowledge needed to attain jobs. Philanthropists such as Lola Karimova-Tillyaeva have targeted the issue, though, by establishing organizations dedicated to providing educational and medical opportunities to underprivileged children. Girls are especially likely to benefit from programs such as these and thrive from the opportunities an education provides.
No Access to Women’s Health Care
<p>Much like education, women are often denied access to the basic healthcare they need in order to stay well. In many places, obstetric and gynecological care is often a luxury only enjoyed by the most affluent of women. Other basic health care needs such as access to feminine products might also be overlooked. Some organizations have sought to combat this by training medical professionals in local areas on how to administer the care women need. The results have been positive in many cases and have greatly improved the lives of girls and women in the targeted areas.
Disenfranchisement of Vulnerable Women
While all women face unique challenges, some are certainly more vulnerable than others. Girls and women who are orphaned or disabled are likely to carry an additional burden of disadvantage that must be mitigated by focused efforts. This is exactly what Lola Karimova-Tillyaeva has done with her foundations. By targeting the needs of young orphaned children and disabled kids, she has made great progress is alleviating the additional challenges these populations face. Organizing charitable efforts like this are often the most effective way to enact immediate change and improvement within a community of disenfranchised people.
Lack of Political Opportunities
It could be debated whether politics make much of a difference for women one way or the other, but it is certainly true that many women who aspire to political positions are unable to attain the opportunities they covet. While women might not be able to get involved in politics as directly as they would like, many women have affected change even more directly through involvement with charitable foundations and organizations. If you would like to make a difference in the lives of women and underprivileged people, charitable efforts are a certain way to achieve this goal.
Difficulty of Work/Family Balance
Women juggle a myriad of tasks and responsibilities. Studies have even suggested that we are better at multitasking than men. One of the greatest challenges still facing women, however, is the balancing act one must strike between work and family. It is an eternal struggle, but as family roles progress, more women have become comfortable splitting parenting duties and pursuing their career aspirations. Kids and careers do not have to be mutually exclusive. Women around the world are realizing this joyously. If you want to fit a family into the picture, it is your prerogative and privilege to do so. These are just a few of the many unique life challenges women face on a daily basis and around the world. Though it might be overwhelming to combat such struggles, the process grants us the solidarity that bonds us. Whether you aspire to be a mother, charity organizer, political activist or all of the above, you can achieve it through your incredible feminine strength.
