“Developing is not just what the EU is doing, but a global issue.”
MEUSAC — the national coordinator of the European year for Development 2015, is organising a number of events throughout the year with the objective of raising further awareness on development issues. The theme for March, based on the 8th of March, International Woman’s Day, reflects on girls and women. The debate, held the other day, was intended to engage young people in an active discussion and debate on a number of topics, mainly the roles of girls in development, gender equality, empowering women through education and the effect of culture on women and girls in the development world.
“We need to help make this world a better world, where equality is not something we just speak about on 8th March.”
The panel consisted of Her Excellency Gina Aberrombie-Winstanle, The US Ambassador to Malta, Dr. Ahmed Bugri from the Shelter and Support to Migrants, Dr. Maria Pisani from Integra Foundation, and a representative of Ms. Claudia Taylor East from SOS Malta.
In terms of promoting gender equality, the indicator of The United Nations Millennium Development Goals, focused mainly on the education of women; this led to criticism that it failed in tackling structural clauses. As an answer to the question of "what should we be doing’, the topics mentioned ranged from the control and access of women to assets, resources, property, financial assitance and infrastructure, increasing women’s voice in politics, both in the private sphere as well as in the public sphere, the freedom to voice their opinion and act on it, as well as improving access to sexual education to women in developing countries. Shockingly, studies show that to every male infected with HIV, there are 3 girls infected with the same disease. Furthermore, more than 1/3 of the women in the world experience violence based on gender.
“We need to fix our own society before we start fixing other socities.”
Is the government doing enough? More importantly, are we demanding for the government to do enough? Most importantly, are we personally doing enough? Empowering women to move forward results from women helping women, and men helping women. The reality for men is that it is assumed that they are taking care of their family, and doing all that is necessary to make sure their family is okay, and it should be the same for men; women are being robbed of the confidence of their focusing on their jobs, because they are expected to focus on their family.
“Education is one of the answers, but there are so many other questions that need to be asked.”
More attention needs to be given to what women can provide today in the developing world; they are provided with education, but not with opportunities. The migration that we see is not always due to war, but more frequently because of lack of opportunity. Women are subjugated to their home, and because of this, culture is a challenge in developing countries. What are the challenges that men knowingly — and unknowingly — bring to women who are discovering their own potential?
“Equity should be assumed, not fought for.”
