Taking Home Final Exam Assignment: Global Issues

          Taking Home Final Exam: Global issues: Name Institution Date   Question: Short answer Why should we invest in girls’ education? Give two examples of its benefits  Investing in girls’ education empowers them to make important life choices, and increases their chances of participating in the workforce and advocating for human rights. There is a trickledown effect as girls are then likely to support the education of fellow girls and their children, which increases future educated generations.  When there are equal opportunities, even for the educated girls and women then this improves income equality and has long term positive effects on the families as there is lower poverty rates (Economic empowerment Half the Sky Movement). Educating girls reduces infant and maternal mortality as they have greater knowledge. For instance, girls who have gone through formal education are exposed to the interaction of social economic and cultural factors affecting the health and economic well being of individuals and communities. At times, girls are denied the right to education because of cultural factors, but raising awareness about the issue increase support for their education and female empowerment (He named me Malala film, 2015). Girls who have not been educated are less receptive to changes and find it more difficult to improve their standards of living.  Why is secondary education important for girls?             Secondary education is important for girls as increased education investment is associated with rising family income, which is reinvested in the family. Secondary education and better literacy increases civic participation rates where girls can then influence policies and bring to attention problems affecting the girl child. The case of Malala Yousafzai who advocates for girl education educating girls highlights the benefits of empowering women through education, as there are free to make decisions that affect them.  In the documentary film “He named me Malala”, the Pakistani girl living in an area with Taliban sympathizers highlighted that education empowered her to make decisions, and the support of her father was important. Attaining secondary education is associated with improving family health and improves community welfare when girls stay longer in schools (A discussion Guide for Study and Action). How can economic empowerment of one woman affect her family, community and the larger society? Most of the girls who are uneducated tend to be from poor families, and are more likely to work for long hours with little or no pay (Half the Sky Fast Facts). Women tend to spend more within the family and those in engaged employment improve the economic well being of the family.  Empowered women practicing in their civic duties ensure that issues affecting girls, women and the family are not ignored and this is beneficial to the families and society.  Empowering women at the local level to get an education while addressing issues of inequality makes the girls and women more involved making changes and governments take note (Half the s...