2008 Woodie Awards
Serial Scribblings: Women worldwide still receive unequal pay, education
Sam Koch '11
Issue date: 4/16/08 Section: Opinion
Richard Malloy, S.J., always begins his classes with a prayer, saying "Let us realize what an opportunity and a privilege it is to be in a college classroom."
It seems that being grateful for the chance to receive higher education would be second-nature to students-but sometimes it's hard to feel privileged for having to write three papers and tackle two tests by the end of the week.
The cycle of late night studying and early morning classes can feel mindless-even pointless-most times.
But Malloy is correct in his assertion that being able to attend a university like Saint Joseph's is an enormous opportunity.
Many people worldwide, especially women, don't get a chance to attend secondary education, let alone obtain college training.
In a statement made last year at the Women's Caucus in Berlin, Carolyn Hannan, director of the United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women, emphasized the enormous challenge that girls face in receiving an education.
She noted that many girls face the very real threat of harassment and violence both inside and out of the classroom setting.
In addition, many girls are restricted by their families' incomes (or lack thereof) when trying to further their education.
Hannan said that "even when school enrollment is free of charge, education carries hidden costs, which may lead families to take the decision to reduce education options for girls.
These hidden costs, which include school uniforms, textbooks, and transportation to and from school, are often substantial and can prevent poor families from sending their girls to school."
While the number of girls in primary schools worldwide has increased steadily over the last few decades, their enrollment rate in secondary schools has remained low.
In South Asia, for instance, fewer than half of all girls attend high school; in Sub-Saharan Africa, the rate is even lower, at 29.7 percent.
These numbers are discouraging, especially considering that post-primary education has the greatest effect on the empowerment of women worldwide.
It seems that being grateful for the chance to receive higher education would be second-nature to students-but sometimes it's hard to feel privileged for having to write three papers and tackle two tests by the end of the week.
The cycle of late night studying and early morning classes can feel mindless-even pointless-most times.
But Malloy is correct in his assertion that being able to attend a university like Saint Joseph's is an enormous opportunity.
Many people worldwide, especially women, don't get a chance to attend secondary education, let alone obtain college training.
In a statement made last year at the Women's Caucus in Berlin, Carolyn Hannan, director of the United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women, emphasized the enormous challenge that girls face in receiving an education.
She noted that many girls face the very real threat of harassment and violence both inside and out of the classroom setting.
In addition, many girls are restricted by their families' incomes (or lack thereof) when trying to further their education.
Hannan said that "even when school enrollment is free of charge, education carries hidden costs, which may lead families to take the decision to reduce education options for girls.
These hidden costs, which include school uniforms, textbooks, and transportation to and from school, are often substantial and can prevent poor families from sending their girls to school."
While the number of girls in primary schools worldwide has increased steadily over the last few decades, their enrollment rate in secondary schools has remained low.
In South Asia, for instance, fewer than half of all girls attend high school; in Sub-Saharan Africa, the rate is even lower, at 29.7 percent.
These numbers are discouraging, especially considering that post-primary education has the greatest effect on the empowerment of women worldwide.
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