Women: Changing the Fate of Our Global Future

I have always felt deep in my bones that peace in our world is possible. I have been doubted, challenged, laughed at and ridiculed for this belief.

There will always be wars, it's human nature. I have heard this comment over and over through the years - most often from men. I have asked myself more often than not: "Is it really our nature to disregard and disrespect human life?"

I don't believe it is.

History shows us that wars have been fought over religion, land, natural resources, and differing belief systems. Basically, a win/lose mindset that seems to stem from a fear-based, scarcity mentality. "If they have this, we won't have this." 'If they win, we will lose."

I wonder if today it is possible for us to shift our global attitude to a win/win?

I think it is.

In order to rise to leadership positions, women used to think that they needed to emulate men. They used to think that they needed to deny their feminine nature in order to make it in a "man's world." Today, thank goodness, this old way of seeing things is changing.

This past weekend The New York Times dedicated its Magazine to look at how the liberation of women could help solve many of the world's problems, including poverty, child mortality, and terrorism.

"In many parts of the world, women are routinely beaten, raped or sold into prostitution. They are denied access to medical care, education and economic and political power. Changing that could change everything." - New York Times Magazine

One major way women are being liberated is through the assistance of microfinance organizations. These organizations lend tiny amounts of money to poor women around the world to help them start businesses.

Once such organization is Kashf Foundation in Pakistan. Saima Muhammad, a Pakistani woman frequently beaten by her husband and brother-in-law and a mother of three daughters, took out a $65 loan from Kashf. She used the money to buy beads and cloth, which she transformed into embroidery that she then sold to merchants. She used the profits to buy more beads and cloth, and soon was running an embroidery business and earning a solid income. When merchants requested more embroidery than Saima could produce, she hired neighbors. Eventually she had 30 families working for her - providing income and opportunity for them, and is now planning on sending all three of her daughters to high school and maybe even college. The beatings by her husband have also been reduced.

The question has been asked - why do microfinance organizations usually focus their assistance on women?

"One reason involves the dirty little secret of global poverty: some of the most wretched suffering is caused not just by low incomes but also unwise spending by the poor - especially by men. Surprisingly frequently, we've come across a mother mourning a child who has just dies of malaria for want of a $5 mosquito bed net; the mother says that the family couldn't afford a bed net and she means it, but then we find the father at a nearby bar. He goes three evenings a week to the bar, spending $5 each week." - Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, authors of Half the Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity for Women Worldwide

The point here is that when a woman is offered the possibility of running a business and making money, the income goes back into the well-being of the family and the community.

"Seventy percent of people living in poverty around the world are women and children. If women have a roof over their heads and a home free of violence, and good and affordable health care, then so do children ... Women are the conduits through which change is made," says Christine Grumm, president and CEO of the Women's Funding Network.

So how does this all fit into my peace plan?

As more and more women and girls are given opportunity and respect -- as opposed to being killed for being born a daughter (China and India), burned for not providing a large enough dowry (India), raped (everywhere), trafficked (Asia), and genitally mutilated (Africa), there is real possibility for bringing balance back to our world.

Although I would agree that humans are competitive by nature, I do not believe that we will always have to live with war. A new attention and respect for girls and women around the world will wake up what I believe is our ultimate human nature ... that's love.

Follow Tabby Biddle on Twitter: www.twitter.com/tabbybiddle

Comments

[kendraro]

In many Native American Nations (the Iroquois Confederacy for example) there were the men's council and the women's council - the men could decide they wanted to go to war, but then they had to get the women to agree that the war was valid, or they would not provision them. The women owned the land, the homes, and controlled the food production. So, their voices were not ignored, or shouted down, they had the final say on everything. I believe we need the balance of both men and women leading society, and that we have suffered greatly from the imbalance.

[QuietLightTraveler]

The only reason there have been more women moved into leadership positions in the US today is because companies have been bias towards women to get more of them there, in other words, reverse discrimination against men. I know because I saw it in the company I worked for. That is fine because women were discriminated against in the past. But I tell you. Your bias towards helping women specifically seems sexist. Its wearing thin in a modern US. Outside the US is a different story.

[yankees]

The Islamic Fundamentalist movement is only growing around the world and you know how they treat women. This is what I don't understand is why the Left supports these groups. The atrocities against women are well recorded but we have no hugh outcry, (only lip-service), from Women's Organizations, our Government, (Both Parties), the UN or Moderate Muslims. If these groups would spend more time on protesting and supporting the women in the Muslim world maybe progress can be made to help your vision. Hillary should give up her job as Sec. of State and become the #1 Spokesperson on Women's Right, something like Al Gore for Climate Change.
In addition, some of the bloodiest wars and persecution were administered by Female rulers. I guess given the chance they have no problem engaging in war either.
However I do agree with your overall assessment of giving women an equal voice in everything. Think of what civilization has missed.