Self-Esteem and Women’s Empowerment
Self-confidence is something that every human deserves. However, it can be harder for some groups of people to develop their self-esteem. Those who have been historically marginalized, such as persons with a disability and women, can face more obstacles from society. These groups therefore may struggle more than others to develop their self-worth, and would benefit from additional support or resources in order to achieve higher self-esteem.
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Empowering Women and Girls with Disabilities
Around the world, more than one billion people have some form of disability. Of these, the female population makes up the largest percent. Women and girls with disabilities face barriers in their lives that come from their environment, but also from the attitudes of other people. This can lead to barriers to education, employment, healthcare, political participation, and even an increased threat of violence. It is therefore especially important for women and girls with disabilities to be included in all levels of society, so that their voices can be heard, their self-esteem developed, and their overall life opportunities increased. Check out “Reflecting on your Self-Esteem” for more tips on improving your self-esteem.
“Empower a Girl, Transform a Community”
Dr. Kakenya Ntaiya is an educator and activist who founded Kakenya’s Dream, an international nonprofit organization that supplies education to girls in rural Kenya. She believes that by empowering girls, they can work to end harmful traditional practices, such as female genital mutilation, and transform communities in these areas.
Ntaiya herself was engaged to be married at a young age, but negotiated with her father to let her continue her schooling. She eventually went to university with her community’s support, but promised to return to help them using her education. She did return, and began a school for young girls called the Kakenya Center for Excellence. She believes that education is not only life-changing for these girls, but can uplift entire communities along the way.
« “To empower girls, you need to educate them. That was my dream. And so I built a school, and in the process, I learned something much bigger. When you empower a girl, you transform a community. School is just a start.” »
Listen to her TED Talk on " Empower a Girl, Transform a Community" and get insight on the perks of empering women.