Empowering Women in 2023 : Fourteen actions to make it happen

Women empowerment refers to promoting and enabling women to exercise their full rights and potential and have equal opportunities with men in all spheres of life. Gender equality, on the other hand, means that men and women are treated and perceived as equals in society, including in areas such as education, employment, and decision-making.

Both women empowerment and gender equality are important goals that aim to create a more just and equitable society. However, these goals have not yet been fully realized, and women continue to face numerous barriers and discrimination in many parts of the world.

By taking these and other steps, we can work toward women’s empowerment, promote gender equality, and create a more just and equitable society.

Finally, it is essential to recognize that the journey toward gender equality is a collective effort and that everyone has a role in promoting women’s empowerment. By working together and building supportive networks and communities, we can create a culture that values ??and supports women’s empowerment and girls. So, it is essential to be a part of such communities and networks and contribute to the cause.

The following are some ways we can achieve women’s empowerment for sustainable development by playing our part in the movement:

1.         Address the root causes of gender inequality: This can involve addressing structural and systemic issues such as discriminatory laws and policies, gender-based violence, and unequal access to education, employment, and other resources.

2.         Promote women’s leadership and participation in decision-making: This can involve supporting and promoting the leadership and development of women and girls and ensuring that their voices and perspectives are included in decision-making processes at all levels.

3.         Provide education and training: Providing education and training opportunities for women and girls can help to build their skills and knowledge and increase their confidence and agency. This can include formal education, as well as vocational and professional training.

4.         Promote economic empowerment: Supporting women’s economic empowerment can involve providing access to credit, loans, and other financial resources, as well as promoting women’s entrepreneurship and leadership in the workforce.

5.         Address gender-based violence: Addressing and preventing gender-based violence is crucial for the empowerment of women and girls. This can involve implementing laws and policies that protect women’s rights, support violence survivors, and promote awareness and understanding of the issue.

6.         Promote gender-sensitive policies and programs: Ensuring that policies and programs are designed with a gender-sensitive approach can help address the specific needs, and challenges women and girls face.

7.         Build supportive networks and communities: Building supportive networks and communities can provide women and girls with a sense of belonging and support and can help to create a culture that values and supports women’s empowerment.

8.         Promote and support education for girls and women: Educated women are more likely to have better job opportunities and be able to advocate for their rights and interests.

9.         Encourage equal pay for equal work: Women often face pay discrimination and earn less than men for the same job. Supporting equal pay can help close the gender pay gap and improve financial security for women.

10.       Advocate for women’s representation in leadership and decision-making roles: Women’s voices and perspectives should be included in leadership and decision-making roles, both in the workplace and in broader society.

11.       Support policies that promote work-life balance: Women often face disproportionate burdens when balancing work and family responsibilities. Supporting policies encouraging work-life balance, such as paid family leave, reduces these burdens empowering women.

12.       Promote and support reproductive health and rights: Women’s reproductive health and rights, including access to contraception and safe and legal abortion, are essential for their physical and emotional well-being that can help empower women.

13.       Address and combat violence against women: Violence against women, including domestic violence and sexual assault, is a serious issue affecting many women worldwide, and working to prevent violence and provide support for survivors empowering women.

14.       Provide access to affordable healthcare: Women often have different healthcare needs than men, and affordable healthcare can help women get the care they need to stay healthy.

Empowering women starts with you. Please show support for the women around you by reminding them they matter and reminding them of their strength. Changing the narrative for women and seeing real change is a team effort for women’s empowerment, so share this list with the women in your life and encourage them to take action to empower women in our society.