Women (and men) are the cornerstone of sustainable development and need to be empowered in order to contribute to their own lives as well as those of their families and communities. However, the concept of empowerment is a complex one.
Research shows that projects can improve outcomes by incorporating gender-focused empowerment interventions. However, standardized measurement remains challenging.
1. Change the way you talk to yourself
The way you talk to yourself can be a powerful force for empowerment or a major barrier. Changing your internal monologue will help you to become more empowered and confident in the workplace and in relationships. Getting rid of negative self-talk can be hard, but it’s possible with practice. The first step is becoming aware of your internal monologue and identifying the unhelpful messages that come into your head. You can then begin to challenge your thoughts and replace them with empowering ones.
Try to avoid thinking traps like polarizing (seeing everything in black or white), magnifying (focusing on the bad parts of situations) and catastrophizing (predicting the worst). Also, don’t forget to be assertive in your interactions with others.
Women deserve equality in the workplace, respect in relationships and satisfaction in all areas of life. The economic empowerment of women is essential to achieving these goals and will create positive impacts beyond the individual.
2. Change the way you think about yourself
Changing the way you think about yourself is one of the best ways to become more empowered. If you want to achieve your goals, you need to believe that you can do it.
You also need to believe that you deserve it. This can be difficult, but it is important to break down the self-limiting beliefs that hold you back.
Women’s empowerment is a critical component to gender equality and inclusive economic growth. It includes enabling them to enjoy decent work and adequate income; access markets and financial services; and control over their lives, bodies, and time.
You can help empower women by changing the way you think about them. Whether it’s volunteering to mentor a girl, or supporting dedicated female entrepreneurs with microloans, your efforts will lead to change close to home and across the globe.
3. Change the way you think about others
Gender equality matters because societies and economies cannot thrive without it. When women are educated, healthy, well-paid and able to lead, countries grow faster. They are key contributors to eradicating poverty, building resilient communities and managing the impacts of climate change.
Yet women continue to face barriers that hinder their ability to be productive and fully participate in society. They are disproportionately affected by gender discrimination, insecure jobs and unpaid care work. They remain a minority in the upper ranks of business, politics and other sectors, and are often held back by limited access to economic assets and finance.
By tackling critical constraints within these pillars, empowerment projects can be more successful. For example, interventions designed to address constraints under the agency and context pillars can empower women to take action while helping to promote positive social norms. Learn how you can incorporate these elements into your own initiatives by registering to join our CEO Statement of Support for the Women’s Empowerment Principles.
4. Change the way you think about your life
Women contribute to economies in many ways, whether as entrepreneurs and employees or by performing unpaid care work. Yet they remain disproportionately affected by poverty and discrimination.
Imagine you’re a girl in the developing world without access to family planning or prenatal care. Without these essential services, you are likely to become pregnant, which leads to poor health outcomes and limited economic opportunities for your family.
Across the globe, women are working to change this reality. They’re funding education campaigns to address cultural practices like female genital mutilation and advocating for laws that protect them from violence. They’re mobilizing in mass gatherings and online movements to make their voices heard, from the #MeToo movement to the Time’s Up and NiUnaMenos protests.
Women’s economic empowerment is a critical component of global development efforts, and a key to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The bipartisan Women’s Entrepreneurship and Economic Empowerment Act and USAID’s Gender and Women’s Empowerment Policy provide tools for advancing women’s economic security.