“As women achieve power, the barriers will fall. As society sees what women can do, as women see what women can do, there will be more women out there doing things, and we’ll be better off for it” – Sandra Day O’Connor.
The concept of women empowerment was introduced in the year 1985, it is all about right and equitable societies. It may be defined in several ways which includes raising the status of women through education, training, Creation of awareness, making an effort to seek them as well as accepting women’s view point. In earlier centuries, women were treated as almost non-existent. As if all rights belonged to men, even something as basic as voting. As times evolved, women realized their power and the need to begin to exist fully amongst men, making it known that things cannot simply work in someone’s favour because of their gender.
The empowerment and autonomy of women and the improvement of their political, social, economic and political status is a highly important end in itself. It is essential for the attainment of sustainable development. The power relations that impede women’s attainment of health and fulfilling their lives operate at many levels of society, from the most personal to the highly public. Achieving change requires policy and programme actions that will improve women’s access to sustain livelihoods and economic resources and alleviate their extreme responsibilities.
Below are some of the ways women can be empowered in the Society;
1. Boost her self-esteem: encouraging women and girls to speak instead of shutting them up goes a long way in empowering women. It helps them bring forth their opinion confidently without fear of criticism.
2. By giving proper education: in this modern time, giving proper education is no longer supposed to be a subject of discussion as it is vital, yet the right to girls education is still being denied in many parts of the world with reasons such as safety, unavailability of schools nearby or just because they feel it is not important. The use of proper education in empowering women is one of the many ways society can move forward as it enables them to respond to challenges and change their lives.
3. Giving equal rights to job opportunities: women are still fighting daily for equal rights in working environments, even though more women are attending and graduating from higher institutions and more women are in leadership roles than before. Employment of women is observed as a prominent tool for women’s empowerment because it improves the economic position of women.
There are others ways of empowering women such as shutting down negativity about women, support women run-businesses, fighting against women injustice, etc.
The empowerment of women in our society today should no longer be a topic of discussion as it is all about equipping and allowing women to make life determining decisions through different societal problems. Keep in mind ” you educate a man, you educate a man. You educate a woman, you educate a generation” – Brigham Young.
– Shaibu Sadiyat
Mass Communication Department,
Prince Abubakar Audu University Anyigba, Kogi State.
