Women Empowerment by Men - Beliefs and Practices

2/1/2023

Women Empowerment by Men -Beliefs and Practices

What is the perception of men (husbands) to women empowerment?

As with any issue, perceptions of men and husbands towards women empowerment can vary greatly depending on the individual and their personal beliefs. Some men and husbands may have a positive view of women empowerment and may actively support efforts to promote gender equality. They may believe that women should have equal opportunities and rights as men and may work to create a more inclusive and equitable society.

On the other hand, some men and husbands may not fully understand or support the concept of women empowerment. They may hold traditional beliefs about gender roles and may not see the need for women to have equal rights and opportunities. These individuals may not be willing to challenge the status quo and may not support efforts to promote gender equality.

Ultimately, it is important for all men and husbands to recognize the value and importance of women empowerment. By supporting efforts to promote gender equality, men and husbands can help create a more inclusive and equitable society for everyone. This can benefit not only women, but also men, families, and communities.

Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

Why do husbands treat their daughters differently from their wives?

The reasons why husbands might treat their daughters differently from their wives can vary greatly and can depend on a variety of factors. Some possible reasons for this behavior include societal norms and expectations about gender roles, personal experiences and beliefs, and individual differences between the husband, wife, and daughters.

One possible reason for why husbands might treat their daughters differently from their wives is societal norms and expectations about gender roles. In many societies, there are traditional beliefs about what men and women should and should not do, and about how men and women should be treated. For example, some men may have been raised with the belief that daughters should be treated differently from sons, and that it is their responsibility to protect and provide for their daughters. These beliefs can shape how men interact with their daughters and with their wives and can result in different treatment of their daughters compared to their wives.

Another possible reason for why husbands might treat their daughters differently from their wives is personal experiences and beliefs. A husband who had a difficult relationship with his own father may want to treat his daughters differently in order to provide them with a better experience. Similarly, a husband who had a positive relationship with his mother may want to emulate that relationship with his daughters. These personal experiences and beliefs can influence how a husband treats his daughters and his wife and can result in different treatment of the two.

Finally, individual differences between the husband, wife, and daughters can also play a role in why husbands might treat their daughters differently from their wives. For example, a husband may have a closer relationship with his daughters than with his wife or may feel more comfortable and familiar with his daughters than with his wife. This can result in different treatment of the two, even if the husband does not intend for this to happen.

Overall, the reasons why husbands might treat their daughters differently from their wives can be complex and varied. It is important for husbands to communicate openly with their wives and daughters and to strive to treat everyone in their family with respect and kindness. By doing so, they can help create a more positive and healthy family dynamic.

Photo by Trust "Tru" Katsande on Unsplash

Factors that influences husbands’ beliefs to treat daughters differently from their wives?

Culture: Culture can influence the way that husbands treat their daughters and wives in a variety of ways. In some cultures, there may be a belief that daughters are not as valuable as sons, and as a result, husbands may be more likely to prioritize the needs and desires of their sons over their daughters. In other cultures, there may be a belief that women are inferior to men, and husbands may therefore treat their wives with less respect and kindness than they do their daughters. Additionally, cultural beliefs about gender roles and expectations can also play a role in the way that husbands treat their daughters and wives. For example, in cultures where men are expected to be the primary breadwinners and providers for their families, husbands may be more likely to devote more resources and attention to their wives, who are seen as responsible for managing the household and caring for the children.

Religion: Religion can influence the way that husbands treat their daughters and wives in a variety of ways. In some religions, there may be specific beliefs or teachings about the roles and responsibilities of men and women within the family, which can shape the way that husbands view and interact with their daughters and wives. For example, in some religious traditions, women are seen as the primary caregivers and nurturers within the family, and as a result, husbands may be more likely to prioritize the needs and desires of their wives in these areas. Additionally, religious beliefs about the importance of certain gender roles and expectations can also play a role in the way that husbands treat their daughters and wives. For example, in some religious traditions, men are expected to be the spiritual leaders of the family, and as a result, husbands may be more likely to devote more attention and resources to their wives, who are seen as responsible for managing the household and caring for the children.

Male peer influence: Male peer pressure can influence the way that husbands treat their daughters and wives in a variety of ways. In some cases, peer pressure from other men may encourage husbands to prioritize the needs and desires of their daughters over their wives. For example, if a husband's friends and peers are constantly praising and reinforcing the idea that daughters are more valuable and deserving of attention than wives, he may be more likely to internalize these beliefs and act on them in his own relationships. On the other hand, peer pressure from other men may also lead husbands to prioritize their wives over their daughters. For example, if a husband's friends and peers are constantly reinforcing the idea that men should be the primary providers and protectors for their families, he may be more likely to devote more time and resources to his wife, who is seen as responsible for managing the household and caring for the children. Ultimately, the specific ways in which male peer pressure influences husbands' beliefs and behaviors towards their daughters and wives will depend on the specific values and beliefs that are prevalent among a husband's social circle.

Societal Expectation / patriarchy: Patriarchy is a social system in which men hold dominant power and women are subordinated to them. In a patriarchy, men are often seen as the "natural" leaders and decision-makers in the family, and women are expected to defer to their husbands and fathers. This unequal power dynamic can influence the way that husbands treat their daughters and wives in a variety of ways. For example, in a patriarchy, husbands may be more likely to prioritize the needs and desires of their daughters over those of their wives. This can happen because, in a patriarchy, daughters are often seen as a reflection of their fathers and husbands, and as a result, fathers and husbands may be more invested in ensuring that their daughters are well-cared for and successful. Additionally, in a patriarchy, husbands may also be more likely to prioritize their wives over their daughters. This can happen because, in a patriarchy, wives are often seen as the primary caregivers and nurturers within the family, and as a result, husbands may be more invested in ensuring that their wives are well-cared for and supported.

Ways to treat women in the home to model female empowerment for girls

Changing husbands' beliefs and behaviors to support their wives and model female independence and empowerment to their daughters can be a complex and challenging process. However, there are some steps that men and society can take to help facilitate this change:

Educate men about the importance of gender equality and the harm caused by gender-based discrimination and violence . Men need to understand the reasons why supporting their wives and promoting female independence and empowerment is important, and how it can benefit not only their wives and daughters, but also themselves and society as a whole.

Encourage men to challenge and reject harmful gender norms and stereotypes. Men need to be aware of the ways in which gender norms and stereotypes can limit and harm women, and they need to be willing to challenge and reject these norms and stereotypes in their own beliefs and behaviors.

Provide men with the tools and resources they need to support their wives and daughters. Men may need support and guidance in learning how to be better allies to their wives and daughters, and this can be provided through education and training programs, mentorship and peer support, and other resources.

Create a social and cultural environment that supports and rewards men who are supportive of their wives and daughters. Men are more likely to change their beliefs and behaviors if they are surrounded by other men who are supportive of gender equality, and if they are recognized and rewarded for their efforts to support their wives and daughters.

Engage men in discussions and dialogue about gender equality and the role of men in promoting female independence and empowerment. Men need to be included in the conversation about gender equality and the ways in which they can support their wives and daughters. This can be done through public forums, group discussions, and other platforms that allow for open and honest dialogue about these issues.

In summary, changing husbands' beliefs and behaviors to support their wives and model female independence and empowerment to their daughters will require a collective effort from men, women, and society as a whole. By working together and supporting one another, we can create a more equal and just world for all.

Author: Ali Jagne

Mr. Jagne, A Finance professional with a hobby in expository writing inspired by an interest in human behavioral topics.

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Charity Volunteer Work in Africa and The Gambia

6/12/2022

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Charity Volunteering Work in Africa and The Gambia

Girls in The Gambia face adverse challenges of child marriage, child labour, trafficking, FGM, and exploitation and are often deprived of their basic needs. With lives revolving around decisions made by others, the only option left for them is to abide by these decisions without a say in their own life stories. This makes it impossible to create their own identity, to think as an individual, and to create a life of their own.

Charity Volunteering with girls' education charities

Every grave circumstance that hesitates to intrinsically progress requires an external push to feel empowered. How can you be this source of encouragement?
When you choose to volunteer for girls in The Gambia, you not only feel a sense of accomplishment but have also managed to turn around life for the better! With the help of your mentorship, girls in The Gambia could benefit from it on a personal note as well as in their careers.

Anyone can make a decision to volunteer. It is one of the most rewarding and satisfying attributes of life. You get to meet new people, absorb quality skills, and gain valuable experience along the way. The outcome of your support creates a huge impact on your community and societal goals.

Volunteering Supports Girl Child Education & Empowerment?

Volunteering can be greatly gratifying. Once you’re sure of how and where you want to spend your time, it becomes easier to give it your all. Volunteering can advance your career to a great extent. It teaches you several valuable skills and also enriches your morals and values. One of the essential areas to contribute your time could include girl child education and empowerment.

Children greatly benefit from your communication with them. It helps them improve their behaviour and interpersonal skills. They further learn how to communicate and interact with individuals of other nationalities and cultures, thus making them more hospitable and good-natured.

You would notice lower drop-out rates from school. When children find something unusual and different, this naturally creates curiosity in them. Your participation adds this element to their lives. With consistency in variety, children are easily motivated to go to school and apply the learnings practically in their lives too.

Connecting with children also means connecting with their vulnerabilities, talents, flaws, and ideologies. As a volunteer, you could help shape these by connecting with their emotions. Children then tend to develop better positive emotions in the process.

Once they go through emotional development, they tend to have higher self-esteem and refrain from placing their worth in hands of others.

Children can aim higher and have bigger goals and aspirations, extending the boundaries that society sets for them. They can visualize a stronger future and carve a strong voice.

These emotional developments and communication abilities help them develop stronger relationships with family, friends, classmates, and society at large.

They also take care of themselves, are aware of their bodies, and find ways to keep them healthy and sustain a good lifestyle.

Most children dread going to school because of its monotonous routine. When you help volunteer a child, they tend to look forward to the routine by altering their mindset and ways of looking at their school life. They create a positive outlook and engage with their studies in hope of finding something new to learn every day.

Charity Volunteering and mentoring can put a child in the position to gradually “choose”, to be conscious of her rights, and have the strength to speak up and fight for herself.

Here’s how you can make a difference!

SaGG Foundation is one such medium to empower young girls with a voice of their own through education. Being a female-educated individual is quite a rare sight in The Gambia and despite the adverse problems faced, we strive to bridge this gap and sponsor girl child education.

How can you make a difference?
There are numerous ways of joining the SaGG Foundation. Opportunities here are unlimited and flexible. All you need to do is get in touch with us. Use this opportunity to volunteer and help young girls receive their basic right to education. You can help out by:

Teaching with us to improve the techniques of learning experiences for girls in The Gambia
Become a fundraiser and support young girls embarking on their educational journey
Be a part of our Digital Team to support the fight for social equality from the comfort of your home.

We want our society to prosper by shaping young Gambian girls into courageous, bold and independent leaders. To achieve this, we actively participate in providing them with education, mentoring services, programmes, workshops and seminars. It is imperative for our girls to become wholesome individuals using their utmost potential both, inside and outside the classroom. Revolutionizing the generational and traditional norms, we want to give every girl her own story!

Are you willing to help us bridge the gap? Come, let’s empower our girls together!

How to decide for charity volunteering

You might have multiple volunteering roles to choose from. When you do volunteer work at a non-profit organization, it is essential to:

Check whenever you’re needed
Make quality time
Understand your role and responsibilities
Increase your social skills and communication
Stay healthy mentally, physically, and emotionally
Show up when you promise your availability
Help your fellow volunteers to achieve the community goals and mission
Make a difference

At the SaGG Foundation, your charity and volunteering deeds can help educate young girls in The Gambia to fulfill their dreams and ambitions. Every generous contribution counts!
Do you wish to know the ways in which you can support us? Check out ways in which you can support:

1. Girl Child Sponsorship

You could help with generous contributions of as little as £10 a month for a girl’s educational needs to secure her future. Browse through the list of deserving candidates, select one or more, and get in touch. As a regular sponsor, you will constantly get updates on your student’s progress. The best part of your sponsorship is that 100% of your generous contributions would be utilized for the said contribution. There would be no additional cut or distribution to another. The girl that you sponsor receives the entire sponsorship to secure her career.

Through sponsorship, you will be able to:

Give love and hope
Directly communicate with the girl and her family
Build a strong rapport with the girl
Directly make sponsorship payments to the school

Sponsor NOW

2. Charity Donations

Some girls might have access to go to school but due to poverty, many of them lack basic educational supplies. We at SaGG aim to provide the necessary tools and amenities needed for their education with the help of your donations.

By supporting our girl child education projects, you can GIVE A LITTLE. MAKE A GREAT IMPACT! Due to the pandemic, there was a loss of 30 sponsors in 2022. By donating £2, $2, €2, or D100 monthly direct debit, you will be able to continue our endeavour in striving to educate our girls.

Donate Now

3. Charity Champion and Ambassdor

When you have a voice, use it! This is exactly how our Charity Champions support our missions in their respective countries and cities. With a strong passion to advocate for girls' education, they help to connect girls with sponsors and contribute in many ways. Our Charity Champions are self-driven to make a high and positive impact in laying the foundation to change girls’ lives through the gift of education. They recruit sponsors, support fundraising initiatives, and make contributions in their own unique way. You too can become a champion and make a difference today!

As a Charity Champion, you will be able to:

Make a Difference by giving our girls freedom, independence, and control·
Feel valued as part of the SaGG Foundation family
Build relationships and networks across the world
Help the less fortunate by directly contributing towards a better future for our girls, their families, their communities, their country, and the world.
Advocate by hosting fundraising events, raising awareness, and discussing issues, online, and through social media platforms to reach enthusiastic, self-motivated, and passionate like-minded people.

BECOME A CHAMPION

4. Corporate Charity Partnership

Through collaborated partnerships, you could discover new heights for businesses by working towards the betterment of society. By collaborating with us, you play a part in creating a positive impact in providing educational opportunities to deprived and underprivileged girls in The Gambia.

Partnership opportunities such as supporting events, co-creating marketing, and brand campaigns, and opportunities to engage staff, improve customer trust, and reach new audiences are a few ways of binding our mission and efforts together.

Through these partnerships, what we bring to the table is motivation, reliability, and quality experience. We work with our Corporate Charity Partners to find the balance for achieving the best results together. We maintain the highest level of transparency to ensure trust from all our partners. SaGG is open to any initiatives and will support our partners in shaping those ideas into real actions. On the business front, you would benefit from achieving your CSR goals, maintaining a positive brand image, and driving employee engagement.

LET’S COLLABORATE

Your volunteering will keep our girls smiling

Volunteering can be the experience of a lifetime. You can help manifest a promising future for another. Start today, start NOW!

Click To Volunteer now

Check out what our previous volunteers have to say! Click here

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Mentorship for Girls’ Education and Career Development

10/6/2022

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Mentorship For Girls

Mentoring girls can help them reach their full potential in education and career development. In a world of climate change, rising seas, and economic downturns, a world of a global pandemic and stunted education systems, girls are peering over the distance at a future that appears increasingly to be a mirage. How would girls aspire for something they can’t see or imagine? Where do they find the motivation to discover in a context of uncertainty? Girls can often find some of those answers in a mentor. A mentor is someone whom girls can speak to out loud, about their fears and uncertainty which often live in their heads and haunt their hearts.

1) What is girls’ mentorship?

Mentorship is a process where girls reflect and share thoughts about their development prospects and career potential with a person who’s an expert in that field. However, there is much more explanation behind this short description. A mentor is a person who guides you through all the uncertainties and unanswered questions in your head, such as:

“Where should I seek motivation during the hectic times we live in? How can I aspire for things if I am not sure about my future?”

Girls’ mentorship is like a strong shoulder girls can lean on whenever they feel confused about life. Mentors play a huge role in their lives and can be of great help in numerous situations.
A mentor is:

Someone who encourages girls even when it seems they have no skills for certain subjects.
Someone who believes in you even when you fail.
Someone who can walk you through when you change a career or move to a new country.
Someone who will be your number one supporter despite the circumstances.
And finally, is someone who will be there for you when the whole world lets you down.

2) What are the benefits of mentorship?

african students kids smiling in uniform

To have a mentor is to have someone you can speak out loud to, about fears and uncertainty which often live in your head and haunt your heart. It is a person who will read your CV and offer the distinction between dialogue and professional writing. They will be able to lift your competence from your life experiences and build your self-worth and self-love.

A mentor can see your potential and present you with the million possibilities that you could transform it into. But mentoring has many more benefits beyond the girls’ personal growth, it can benefit their career choices as well. The advantages are numerous, and in this article, we'll list the more important for us:

Benefits of becoming a Mentee as a girl

There are significant advantages for girls to have mentors, whether they are starting their career or they want to enhance their skills and abilities.

Expert advice on One-on-One basis

A mentor has earned professional training and technical skills, which they can teach girls. They can help girls with people skills, managing time and strategic partnerships, among other skills.

Professional advancement at a faster pace

Mentors can figure out how long it takes to complete major career advancement over time. They can help girls accomplish similar goals and provide guidance to help them avoid possible pitfalls. Mentors can also keep track of the progress that they are making in areas that they want to develop in from career to personal development.

Increased opportunity for networking:

A mentor can connect girls with other industry leaders, broadening their career network. Their mentor may even be able to recommend them for new positions, training courses, or promotions to others.

Boosted motivation:

A mentor can assist girls in being more motivated and inspired. By reminding themselves what they're striving for by taking their mentor as an example. The personal encouragement of the mentor would boost girls’ confidence and eagerness to explore different things.

Personalised recommendations:

Depending on the girl's career path, a mentor may volunteer to examine or analyse their performance. They have worked in the sector before and can provide girls with a personalised assessment of their strengths and weaknesses. They can then collaborate with them to develop a tailored strategy for girls’ success.

3) How can girls be mentored?

Girls can be mentored by giving them a horizon of perspectives in their career or personal life in a non-judgmental way, without instructing or narrowing their pathway. Emily Joof explains "A mentor helps you find the answers to your questions as well as takes you outside the box to inspire but also offers you to be a version of yourself that you thought didn't exist. For example I was coached when I didn't believe I had an aptitude for Math in school and encouraged me to play basketball even though I reach no higher than 1,5 meters tall"

One of the most important skills a girl can have is confidence but unfortunately, 79% of women have admitted that they lack self-esteem (wear the city). Mentoring can help increase self-awareness which results in girls to realise their potential, therefore increasing confidence. This can be done by asking smart questions. For example, in a TED article, the mentor asked the mentee, “Could you please ask all the questions instead of me?” to which she then replied “why?” and the mentor explained, “Because I need to know what questions to ask.” In this dialogue, you can see how the mentor is trying to take layers off her shell by asking the right questions. My Mentor lifted my chin when I had no work experience and believed I had nothing to offer an employer. They reminded me that speaking three languages, travelling to 7 countries, leading Model UN, and Captaining my Basketball team was just as important to present to the world as experience.

Communication skills, career guidance and overcoming hurdles in life are reasons why people turn towards mentoring. Emily said "I only knew a few careers due to restricted traditions and culture; law, medicine and accountancy. My mentor helped me open a whole new world of art, history, anthropology and sociology. The words “yes you can be an author” even when I knew nothing about creative writing and was about to dive headfirst into the world of publishing with no safety ring". Did you know that Maya Angelou was mentoring Oprah Winfrey? This shows to say, even the most successful people need a hand to hold onto so don't feel disheartened when you feel you need help or guidance.

There will be many instances where changes in life can shake up our routine which could make us feel uncomfortable. This could be becoming a new mother. Someone told me breastfeeding was hard and offered tricks and tips to help which was a type of mentorship. Family issues are another reason to visit a mentor. Engaging the family via mentoring to improve relationships is critical for the mentor, mentee, and family's experience. Parents should realise that the mentor is there to assist in the development of a connection with the child, not to take the place of the parent. The child should find a sense of support and encouragement from those loving people, if the mentor and the family maintain open contact and participate in events and activities on a regular basis.

There are different types of mentoring techniques which will be dependent on the individual:

Virtual Mentoring

(Phone, email or text) is one that is at each person's convenience and can be in the comfort of your own home. However, if your home environment is not conducive, there are other options available which will be discussed later in the course of this blog. Online mentoring programmes can help connect more than two mentors with the mentee to provide another aspect. There would be a higher chance of availability which also saves travelling and the environment. Mentees can easily access their mentors this way.

Face to Face mentorship

Is the type of mentoring you can get the most out of depending on your needs. 60-80% of communication in these sessions is body language based which improves trust more than virtual communication. There will be more engagement and less likely to be distracted (together platform).

Group mentoring session

Expose you to other people's experiences and connect on a personal level. These sessions can be suitable for individuals struggling to communicate their thoughts and feelings. Group mentoring can be more engaging and take you out of your comfort zone and grow. However there are cons of this type as well; not getting one to one, perhaps limited confidentiality due to group or competition amongst group members (mentoring complete)a

The ideal way for mentees and mentors to work together is to set mutually pre - defined goals. Be completely open and clear with your mentor about your job ambitions or objectives, personal qualities, and places for development.
It's possible to have an informal or formal mentor connection. We recommend having an informal tone of voice, as when questions arise, having a direct chat could be more helpful. We also suggest interacting on a routine basis at least once a week to keep the mentor informed on any news or updates.

4) Who can mentor girls? And in what areas?

As professionals, parents, careers and humans we can easily take on this challenge, to hold open our palms and offer girls a piece of your time, share our reflections, learnings and knowledge, Emily describes. A great mentor can see the potential and present in girls with a million possibilities that could help girls to transform. A great mentor can also have a massive impact on your chosen stream. But here comes the question of who can mentor girls, to the defined path they want? Well here are some of the individuals that can mentor girls and what kind of areas potential mentors can provide mentorship with:

black woman teacher giving word to a student raising hand

Academic staff- Academic staff like your teachers can be a great example of mentoring girls. Teachers will be the first to applaud as you finish their class but remind you that this is a marathon, not a sprint, keep moving forward, high school- college- university- keep moving forward having filled your head with knowledge and your heart with ambition and strong self-esteem, a good teacher send you off in the world prepared. They convince their students that some colour on their fingers over a blank sheet of paper creates art worth admiring, art worth keeping. The prove to students that a few extra hours at home staring at those letters which don’t quite form words will soon transform into sentences, - Emily.

Family-Parents especially can have a significant impact on a girl's life. Parents can help girls with understanding the importance of trust, ways to make the family bond stronger, empowerment, ways to identify yourself and how to overcome barriers.

black family mentoring kids at home family time

Professionals- There are various professional websites available online. For instance, LinkedIn is a great way to reach out to professionals to see if they would be delighted to mentor you. Such professionals have experience, they could be working in the field that you would like to pursue in the future and potentially seeing yourself growing and climbing the ladders smoothly.

black business woman in office talking to the phone

Women have once lived a girl’s life. They have experienced the challenges and difficulties that girls would likely face in their journey to womanhood. Women who have defied all the odds to pursue a career, and are excelling in their different career fields, are best suited to mentor girls. It is even more powerful for girls to be mentored by women who looks like them, share similar background and culture, and have lived through challenges relatable to the girl’s experience. This would present to girls the realities and possibilities of, ‘If she can do it, I can do it’!

These are some of the examples but other individuals can mentor and guide girls on the path to success. With a mentors' magical powers, they can get girls to believe that a tiny wooden stick filled with lead can make marks that another can read as words. -Emily.

Let us know in the comments h

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