For every long time now, women have remained at the bottom in income, wealthy, land ownership, participation in government structures, and in politics. Women are at the top in household chores and in the care of families and neighbours. This differential involvement and contribution to societal activities by the women and men have negatively affected the economic growth of nations and the world at large . There is a need to empower women for the development of the nation. Some of the ways in which women can be empowered include improving:
- Self esteem
- Information and skills
- Education and Training
- Equity in work
Self esteem
Self esteem is concerned about being confident and satisfied about yourself. This will enable one to speak out their minds and to be happy. Self-esteem enables one to believe that they bring positive contributions in the society and they will be satisfied with what one has. Self-esteem will also enable the women to take up positions in society at any different levels. The women will also venture into different developmental programmes because they will be confident that they can do it.
Information and skills
Information and skills development in females will enable them engage themselves in activities such as farming of different types, tailoring; constructions which will in turn make the women earn an income. Most of these activities are currently left out to men with very few women getting involved in them. There is a need to encourage the women to work in groups by forming up cooperatives. This will also help them to get encouraged and share out their views. Cooperatives will also enable the women to easily have access to the funds or help they need from the government and the Non -governmental organisations. Women and girls need to have access to the information they need and to be supported in a number of trainings found necessary.
Education and Training
Education and training is also one of the factors which has led to a number of women not to take up jobs in formal employments and not to take up senior positions in governments and companies. The people in senior positions require that one has a minimum qualification in the desired field. Most women have not been better educated because of the cultural belief and the gender roles which have positioned women to remain in homes. In an effort to address this situation the Zambian movement has put up deliberate policies such as the re-entry policy, which allow the girls to re-enter school even when they have been out of school on maternity leave. There is there for a need to have plans which could help to support the education and training of the girls and women.
Equity in work
Equity requires that both men and women have the same access to the available resources. This has not been achieved because few women have taken up positions in formal employment. Some of the reasons being socially constructed with a belief that some jobs can only be done by the men and the male dominance cultures. In some cases there are no qualified women to take up the positions. There is a need to involve both men and women in development. Create more opportunities for women.