Volunteering in women’s empowerment is extremely rewarding and important work. In many countries across the world, women and girls are unfortunately treated as unequal to their male counterparts. This inequality is manifested in a variety of ways such as unfair pay and treatment in the workplace, education inequality, and even domestic abuse and mutilation. The issues facing women are very real on both a physical and emotional level, some of which are ingrained into the politics and traditions of cultures. Volunteering in women’s empowerment creates great potential for the humane and fair treatment of women across the world. Additionally, joining forces to fight against these atrocities brings women hope for a better future and the strength to join hands with other women in the pursuit of equality. In the past half a century, women have made great strides on the equality front, yet there is still an immense amount of work to be done. There are many different ways that volunteers can help, some of which are through community development, outreach, education, or individual support. No matter your trade or area of study, there is a volunteer position perfect for you in the realm of women’s empowerment. Research shows that communities that have women in roles of leadership are more successful than communities with gender inequalities. In developing nations the issues facing women are extreme: male births are favored and prioritized, male education is prioritized, inequality in the workplace exists as does female mutilation and sometimes murder. These are complex, life-or-death issues that must be treated with care, passion and vigor. The nature of these issues requires help on all fronts, therefore volunteers with all interests are encouraged to take action. If you are interested in politics, education, public policy, health and health education, business, and human-care, you will find a way to help the cause. Through volunteer endeavors you will build relationships with women and will learn to understand their reality; you may even come to realize that you have more in common with them than you think. Take the first step in joining the movement of women’s empowerment by volunteering abroad, where many women need help. There are volunteer opportunities in women’s empowerment available all over the world, however, three countries with the most need/organizations are Asia, Africa and Latin America. Asia In many Asian countries there are political regulations that limit female power. Some countries limit the number of children per family which leads to the favor of male babies over female, and in some cases, the abandonment or murder of females. The longtime tradition of honor, in some aspects, has manifested negatively causing domestic violence and general power of the male over female. If you are interested in politics and governmental decisions that impact gender, then volunteering abroad in an Asian country is right for you. Africa In some African countries, political instability leads to violence against women that can be as extreme as kidnapping and murder. It is not uncommon for girls to be married off to older men due to the lack of family money. Additionally, many families can afford only to send one child to school, and boys are chosen over girls. There are some African communities that have women in positions of leadership – these special communities offer inspiration and hope to communities across the globe. If you are interested in health, health education, and general education, THe women of Africa are waiting for you to lend a helping hand. In general, volunteer opportunities in women’s empowerment include positions involving public health outreach, business, and education. In the public health arena, volunteers could be working with women and children to provide HIV/AIDS education and general sexual health education. More technical opportunities include birthing support and medical and dental work. In the business sector, there are many volunteer opportunities to volunteer in helping women start their own companies. Skills such as marketing, accounting, grant writing, and computer skills are highly valued here. Lasty, if you like working with children and empowering women through direct work, volunteering in education is for you. Opportunities include teaching english, tutoring, constructing schools, leading teacher trainings, holding workshops, etc. Educating women and children brings them one step closer to achieving their goals by increasing their literacy, intrapersonal skills and knowledge of the world. Volunteer in women’s empowerment abroad to help bring women one step closer to breaking the mold of gender inequality. Whether you are male or female, women around the world want your help in the fight for freedom. Expect to be challenged and moved – you will come out of this experience with perspective and hopefully with a passion for helping others in the fight for equality. We are all human and all deserve equal rights and opportunity. Help others under oppressive circumstances break free – this is a crucial step in bringing peace to what is sometimes a crazy world.
