Who Run the World?

Op-Ed by Charlie Grosso

As women, we have fiercely fought to communicate a narrative of strength and independence. And while blasting Beyonce’s “Run the World” is one way a woman can feel powerful and ready to take on the world, as we celebrate women this month, let’s focus on our power to advocate for ourselves and other women. That starts with demanding that we educate all the world’s girls.

We know that educating girls is the best way to end global poverty, yet according to UNESCO 130 million are missing from classrooms. Of those who are in school, many are receiving poor educations or being dissuaded from following their dreams.

While working to close the education gap for adolescent refugees in the Middle East, I have seen first-hand the impact of when women are left without agency over their lives, proper supports or other women in positions of power who can advocate, uplift, and serve as role models. When women are left without, we perpetuate cycles of poverty.

All over the world, we can find evidence of well-intentioned programs set up to educate young girls. The vast majority of these programs are focused on the primary school years – a critically important time in the development of children. But what about teenagers? What about those closest to both higher education and employment opportunities, and at the greatest risk of early marriage, sex trafficking or radicalization?

In a world with a growing refugee population, one that promises to expand exponentially with increasing numbers of climate refugees, we are at risk of losing an entire generation of young women.

But education can still be the great equalizer it was long promised to be. Certainly, the lack of one is nearly impossible to overcome. As we invest in education in and out of refugee camps, we must also stop perpetuating the myth that all we can teach young women is craftwork. What exactly is the professional job market for making bracelets? Or earrings? Or mosaics?

The jobs of today and into the future are in science, technology, telecom, engineering, the environment. To that end, we must shift our outdated model of humanitarian aid to one that takes a long-term view and offers pathways for these young women to help solve the world’s challenges. A true investment in people, not just crises.

When teens, and girls, specifically, are provided educational opportunities and resources, they can completely reimagine their life paths. Syrian teen, Amal, has lived in a camp in the Middle East for seven years. Her family has struggled to make a life for themselves beyond the camp’s borders - a common experience for refugees. However, when presented with a digital-based educational program, she found a pathway to something more. A way to make her dreams a reality. She is now applying to college to begin her journey to make a better life for herself and her family.

As a female entrepreneur working to elevate women around the world, I thoroughly understand the enormous expectations placed upon women to support other women. Rarely do we find the male voice in the fight for feminism and equality. Rarer still is the call for men to be in this fight with us. But we are making progress nonetheless.

This year, Congress has an historic number of seats held by women thanks in large part to the votes, contributions and volunteer hours of women. But the real work begins now.

The future is female. But only if each of us commits to doing our part to supporting one another in every aspect of our lives. Millions of us already do so much, with so little. Just imagine what the future will hold when we join together in this fight for equality.