As women, we face different challenges like breast cancer and domestic violence, which are highlighted this month. Women in other parts of the world have unequal access to certain valuable resources like education and women’s health care. As we celebrate Pink Week, I am reminded of my trip to HerConference this past summer where I was introduced to the No Ceilings Project. A project that aims to educate people on the gains and gaps in equality for women, so that we can keep pushing for women across the globe to have better lives.
Going to New York for the first time was an experience all on its own, but attending the conference was an amazing opportunity. There was so much passion put into the conference with a buzz in the air from educated, creative and motivated women looking to work in a field as tough as journalism. Many spoke of working at such places as Seventeen and Vogue as a dream.
Unfortunately, some women feel like their dreams are too far out of reach, particularly in international communities. This was made evident in a keynote by Terri McCullough, director of No Ceilings: The Full Participation Project. A Clinton Foundation initiative, the No Ceilings Project is a collection of data that analyzes the gains that have been made over the years by women all over the world over the last two decades, but also the gaps. The vision of this project is to present the data in order to drive the full participation of women and girls around the world.
I know that most of us are in tough college courses and reading a report can sometimes seem like a bore, but the graphics used to display the data points are actually cool. As you explore the site, there are real voices and images of women being affected like the stories of 17 year old Pramilla, a child bride, and Usha, Director/Co-Founder of Vikalp, who is assisting her. According to the website, 25.9 million child brides live in India with 47% of girls under 18 married. These girls are subject to teenage pregnancy and the inability to finish school. Without a good education, they can’t get a good job.
Since this month is Domestic Violence month, I encourage you to watch Jo El’s story as well. His story of how he and his mom overcame domestic violence is good as well. According to the website 1 in 3 women suffer from physical or sexual violence. In certain countries, wife beating is culturally accepted by men and women.
Do we want these actions and mindsets to continue into the 21st century, or can we make a difference in the lives of millions of people? Women’s issues affect men and children. They matter, both home and abroad. While there are incredible triumphs in the realm of women’s inequality, there is still much to be done. The website says, we need even more data like this because stats from some other countries are missing. Knowing this information is important because it will allow governments and policymakers to know what they need to do to support women; and if we look at the data we can know how to hold them accountable. We all should care about women’s issues and we all must push for female/gender equality. For more information and how to get involved with The Full Participation Project, visit clintonfoundation.org and noceilings.org.