Education and equality
Just like how a see saw needs both sides to be equally balanced to maintain a position of equilibrium our society needs both men and women to contribute to it equally in order to prosper. It is extremely common to still see that there are women who live the stereotypical life we sometimes read about – a life where women are expected only to cook, clean and take care of their homes and children. A life where women are expected to behave a certain way, dress a certain way and speak a certain way.
The modern world of today is all for “stepping outside the stereotype” and breaking the boundaries set by society so why not start like this? Women should have equal rights. They should be able to do what they love without restrictions because depriving someone of their opportunities based solely on gender is unjustifiable. Our aim as part of Youth Awareness Project is to shine the spotlight on a problem that already exists and needs to be solved and our target audience is the youth. It is important that we as the youth of SriLanka understand the fact that it is our actions today that will act as a stepping stone for generations to come.
“You educate a man; you educate a man. You educate a woman; you educate a generation.”
Brigham Young
We as an organisation aim to promote the education of young girls and women all around Sri Lanka. It is evident that if all the women in our country received a form of basic education and started working according to their capabilities it would not only benefit their families’ incomes on a small scale, but also the economy of our country on a larger scale.
No matter how rapidly we as a country are developing, it will be impossible to develop any further if we haven’t achieve the basic principles of unity and equality. The question we ask is ‘why should men continue to be the breadwinners when women too can work and earn money to contribute towards the upkeep of their families?’ Man, woman, girl or boy it makes no difference the label that they are given. Education is for everyone.
Who knows how much untouched potential is within a young girl who spends her day in the kitchen than in the classroom?
An example set in stone for us would be Malala Yousafzai who was brought up in a society where parents prized only their sons, nevertheless her father’s confidence in her and unwavering support brought her to be where she is today. From the remote Swat valley of Pakistan today she stands at the podium of the United Nations in New York.
An unwavering form of support is what we need to provide the women in Sri Lanka to show them that there is a brighter future awaiting them.
Equality unites people and keeps the see saw from tilting and maintains a balance that is essential for the prosperity of our society.