Poverty and womenWhy is it that more than two thirds of the world's poor are women, although women are only half of the world's population?
Discrimination is a key driver of poverty and women often face discrimination on multiple grounds – they may be denied their rights because they are women and because they belong to a marginalized group. Women living in poverty also face discrimination simply because they are poor. This discrimination can mean that women are excluded from access to justice or services. Poverty has a woman's face. Global prosperity and peace will only be achieved once all the world's people are empowered to order their own lives and provide for themselves and their families. Societies where women are more equal stand a much greater chance of achieving the Millennium Goals by 2015. Every single Millennium Development Goal is directly related to women's rights, and societies were women are not afforded equal rights as men can never achieve development in a sustainable manner. What links women, discrimination and poverty?In some countries discrimination is built into the laws, while in many other countries it persists despite equality laws.
Women are often responsible for providing for their families, though are often paid less than men for the same work, do work in the informal sector with no job security and have less access to resources such as land, credit and inheritance rights. Many women living in poverty don’t have access to healthcare because they can’t afford to pay for it or reach health services. Women in South Africa, particularly black women, are disproportionately affected by poverty and the HIV pandemic. Transport costs are high in relation to people’s income and women living in poor rural communities often find it difficult to reach hospitals and maintain their treatment. |
Will.I.Am on poverty...
This video suggest that 'fighting poverty starts with women...' Why? How?
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Many women don’t have adequate food, which is essential for coping with the side effectives of anti-retroviral medication.
Women’s low social status compounds the problem as when there’s not enough food to go around, they are likely to be the last to eat.
Violence, for women, is both a cause and a consequence of poverty - violence keeps women poor, and poor women are most exposed to violence. Women who suffer from violence lose income and their capacity to earn a wage is impaired.
Being poor may make women make difficult choices which puts them or keeps them at risk from violence. A woman who is economically dependent on her abusive partner may see no way to support herself and her children if she leaves.
A girl who becomes pregnant as a result of a rape may find herself excluded from school, with fewer prospects of finding safe work and an independent future.
Children in domestic service work long hours doing domestic chores, looking after other children in the family and selling goods in markets and are provided lodging. Far from their relatives and friends, and trapped in a situation of total dependence on their employers, many girls are exposed to physical abuse and sexual violence. With virtually no one concerned for their welfare and few prospects of finding safer work, these girls live a lonely, isolated and vulnerable existence.
Women’s lives, men’s decisions. Poverty can restrict women’s opportunities to make choices about their own lives. This can be exacerbated by custom, culture and religion which often combine to deny women access to decision-making processes and even crucial choices over their lives and bodies, such as whether to become mothers.
Lack of access to free contraception hits poor women hard as they struggle to find the money to buy the contraception they need, especially at a time of economic crisis when the costs of goods and commodities are rising. Up to three quarters of sexually active adolescents do not use any contraception.
Childbirth is a high risk activity in the Philippines, where ten women die every day from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth. High rates of maternal death are compounded by a total ban on abortion meaning that if women do find that they have a mistimed or unwanted pregnancy, they are left with few safe options.
Girls miss out on education. Violence and poverty often combine to trap women in difficult situations though education can provide an escape route. Getting an education can open up the possibility of economic independence, increasing women’s choices of how to live their lives. Education is a human right, yet more than 55 millions girls worldwide do not attend school
as violence and discrimination impede girls’ access to education.
Women’s low social status compounds the problem as when there’s not enough food to go around, they are likely to be the last to eat.
Violence, for women, is both a cause and a consequence of poverty - violence keeps women poor, and poor women are most exposed to violence. Women who suffer from violence lose income and their capacity to earn a wage is impaired.
Being poor may make women make difficult choices which puts them or keeps them at risk from violence. A woman who is economically dependent on her abusive partner may see no way to support herself and her children if she leaves.
A girl who becomes pregnant as a result of a rape may find herself excluded from school, with fewer prospects of finding safe work and an independent future.
Children in domestic service work long hours doing domestic chores, looking after other children in the family and selling goods in markets and are provided lodging. Far from their relatives and friends, and trapped in a situation of total dependence on their employers, many girls are exposed to physical abuse and sexual violence. With virtually no one concerned for their welfare and few prospects of finding safer work, these girls live a lonely, isolated and vulnerable existence.
Women’s lives, men’s decisions. Poverty can restrict women’s opportunities to make choices about their own lives. This can be exacerbated by custom, culture and religion which often combine to deny women access to decision-making processes and even crucial choices over their lives and bodies, such as whether to become mothers.
Lack of access to free contraception hits poor women hard as they struggle to find the money to buy the contraception they need, especially at a time of economic crisis when the costs of goods and commodities are rising. Up to three quarters of sexually active adolescents do not use any contraception.
Childbirth is a high risk activity in the Philippines, where ten women die every day from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth. High rates of maternal death are compounded by a total ban on abortion meaning that if women do find that they have a mistimed or unwanted pregnancy, they are left with few safe options.
Girls miss out on education. Violence and poverty often combine to trap women in difficult situations though education can provide an escape route. Getting an education can open up the possibility of economic independence, increasing women’s choices of how to live their lives. Education is a human right, yet more than 55 millions girls worldwide do not attend school
as violence and discrimination impede girls’ access to education.
Questions to consider
Is poverty an issue in your country?
How are women affected by poverty in your country and region?
What are the root causes of poverty in your region? Climate change? Conflict? Discrimination? All of the above?
How does empowering women tackle poverty?
Which laws are in place in your country or region that protect women from discrimination and the causes of poverty?
Are they effective?
What is happening already?
What needs to be done?
http://www.un.org/womenwatch/directory/women_and_poverty_3001.htm
http://www.endpoverty2015.org/goals/gender-equity
http://www.globalpovertyproject.com/infobank/women
http://www.ucm.es/cont/descargas/documento6327.pdf
http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/feature-stories/women-violence-and-poverty-20091125
http://www.care.org/getinvolved/advocacy/pdfs/whyempowerwomen.pdf
How are women affected by poverty in your country and region?
What are the root causes of poverty in your region? Climate change? Conflict? Discrimination? All of the above?
How does empowering women tackle poverty?
Which laws are in place in your country or region that protect women from discrimination and the causes of poverty?
Are they effective?
What is happening already?
What needs to be done?
http://www.un.org/womenwatch/directory/women_and_poverty_3001.htm
http://www.endpoverty2015.org/goals/gender-equity
http://www.globalpovertyproject.com/infobank/women
http://www.ucm.es/cont/descargas/documento6327.pdf
http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/feature-stories/women-violence-and-poverty-20091125
http://www.care.org/getinvolved/advocacy/pdfs/whyempowerwomen.pdf
