Importance Of Female Education in Girl Rising Movie

“A girl is not defined by what her society sees. A girl is defined by what she sees inside herself.”

Girl Rising is a powerful film which tells the stories of nine young girls from the developing, Third World countries, where they struggle and strive for education, freedom and to overcome other societal barriers. They face several problems such as being denied education, early marriage and childbirth, sexual assault, slavery, etc. They would work in the homes, clean dishes, fetch firewood while their brothers would go to school: there are 66 million girls out of school as compared to 33 million boys.

Every day girls face barriers to education caused by poverty, cultural norms and traditional beliefs, etc. For them, poverty comes with more challenges: they are married in their childhood, face life-threatening risks from early pregnancy and lose the opportunity of education. For women around the world, their gender robs them of opportunities, dignity and safety. Girls face the double oppression of being female and children: “There is nobody more vulnerable than a girl.”

Due to the stereotypes that still exist, girls are forced to perform the housework and look after the younger children. The stereotype of men being the breadwinners persuades families to give priority to their sons in the matter of education. Another factor is cost: even without considering school fees, there is still the need to pay for uniforms, stationary, etc. Furthermore, the risk of sexual assault and other forms of violence against women keeps girls at home. Education matters. The basic human right to education does not recognize nationality, gender, race, etc. As pointed out in the film, education of girls gives the highest returns.

The documentary stresses how education can change the life of the girls and the countries’ future. In India, increasing the enrolment of girls by 1% would increase the nation’s GDP by a substantial amount. When girls are educated, they help their entire community break out of the vicious cycle of poverty. An educated mother will educate her children resulting in better health and nutrition, fewer cases of early marriage and pregnancies, fewer cases of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, etc. Education has direct effects on economic growth and welfare. It will increase a women’s ability to earn and will reduce pay gaps between men and women.

Thus, when you educate a girl, the benefits ripple to her children, society and the country. I firmly believe that given the same resources, men and women can be at par in all fields. The girls in the documentary are oppressed and exploited but they rise above it. The documentary tries to raise awareness and emphasizes the need to educate girls. The power of the film lies in the inspiring stories of the girls, some of which are: 7 year old Wadley in Haiti refuses to be denied education due to the inability of her family to pay the school fees after they lost everything in an earthquake. Even at such a tender age, she understands the importance of being a voice and is determined to go to school and learn. Suma (Nepal) was sent to work as a kamlari when she was six. Upset at how society demands girls to remain at home, clean dishes and look after the younger children, she uses her education to make sure all girls go to school and have access to better opportunities. The story of Yasmin (Egypt) is one of the most heartbreaking stories which tugs at the audience’s emotions. Yasmin is unable to verbalize that a man sexually assaulted her and makes herself out to be the hero of the story. Each of the girls in the film had a strong sense of her own potential and strength - “I am a superhero.” They all believed that they deserved more. By striving and receiving an education, they were able to break out of the barriers and drive change.

Girl Rising promotes perseverance and strength by depicting how the girls demonstrate unbelievable courage and overcome all odds. These 9 girls represent the millions of girls who deserve to go to school but can’t. “The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world.” Women are a powerful force for change. They must be given the freedom to choose the timing of their marriage and pregnancies, receive education and gain the knowledge and skills they require to contribute to the growth and development of the country.