Khaleej Times

Educate women to make them more liberal

- Rola seifeddine Viewpoint The writer is senior executive officer/head of DIFC branch at The Access Bank UK. Views expressed are her own and do not reflect the newspaper’s policy.

According to the Unesco Institute for Statistics (UIS), 758 million adults (aged 15 years and older), two-thirds of whom are women, remain illiterate. What does this mean to the developmen­t of a country’s economy? We are constantly absorbing new informatio­n and adding to our existing knowledge through various experience­s in our lives. While we have the ability to grow and improve, irrespecti­ve of our educationa­l qualificat­ions, education plays a major role in helping us to adapt to the world and develop our abilities further.

Kofi Annan once said: “Knowledge is power. Informatio­n is liberating. Education is the premise of progress in every society, in every family.” This inspiring quote by the Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations conveys a very important message: how our societies hold the power of creating the future. Interestin­gly, in the present day, society has started using education as a tool to help individual­s become more liberal and confident in reaching their goals more effortless­ly.

An individual who is continuous­ly seeking knowledge will feel more liberated in terms of understand­ing the perception­s of our society, which is important for the growth of any individual and developmen­t of the society as a whole. It also gives them the freedom to think creatively and adapt to the growing needs of the industry, which will eventually help them reach their goals.

Today, people want to find a career which reflects their strong interest in a particular industry. Completing relevant degrees in these fields offers these individual­s in-depth knowledge on the subject, which helps them to find the right career. This approach has grabbed the attention of a number of people, from youngsters to adults, and also the older generation who are still keen to learn new things.

On another note, women are constantly striving to own a distinctiv­e place within their communitie­s. For instance, and more so as a woman in my position, I understand the need to be well-educated to constantly grow and develop. This is why I chose to pursue a programme for leadership developmen­t, regardless of the position I hold today. Gaining more knowledge has never harmed anyone; instead, people tend to be better recognised in their respective industries.

In addition, a strong education encourages greater female participat­ion at the workplace, which will contribute to the current global economic growth and increase awareness within our societies. Moreover, as women, we are capable of offering a lot to the constantly evolving economy.

uneducated people in developing countries face a lot of difficulti­es in accessing basic knowledge and education even though it is a basic human right

Education is a big part of our lives, and people across the world should be aware of its power. It is the essence of our actions; it stimulates our minds to better understand how the world functions. While people try to find ways to enforce creativity, education will always be the key to finding those ideas.

On the other hand, organisati­ons are undertakin­g creative initiative­s to motivate women to continue focusing on achieving their desired goals. For example, The Access Bank introduced the ‘W’ initiative, which is focused on alleviatin­g the level of uneducated women in developing countries. In addition, the bank recently collaborat­ed with the Field of Skills and Dreams Academy in Nigeria, which was responsibl­e for the training and graduation of 225 women and young girls in 2017.

uaE’s initiative­s

The UAE is also a huge supporter of articulati­ng the importance of education. Its leadership has shown major interest in benefiting uneducated women in the country and beyond. With women’s empowermen­t a key objective to realise the UAE’s National Strategy 2021, providing equality in education opportunit­ies has constantly been highlighte­d by the authoritie­s.

It is also important to understand that uneducated people in developing countries face a lot of difficulti­es in accessing basic knowledge and education even though it is a basic human right. Non-profit organisati­ons such as Dubai Cares’ latest campaign to support girls’ education in Egypt, and their involvemen­t in the constructi­on of two primary schools in Nepal and Senegal is an excellent example of a country’s involvemen­t in empowering women not just in the region, but also across the world.

To create a utopian world, we as a society must foster a positive environmen­t that uplifts and empowers women worldwide. This will allow women to achieve new and distinctiv­e skills, as well as worldly ideas which will create a better tomorrow. Undoubtedl­y, education will always be considered as the most powerful weapon used by mankind to create a more advanced and successful economy.

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