Effects that gender inequality has on women
Impact of Gender Inequality on Honduran Girls
Poverty and gender inequality are, unfortunately, a way to live for many women in Latin America. The impact of the pandemic has only exacerbated existing poverty levels.
An analysis published by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Commission (ECLAC), showed that extreme poverty in Latin America reached levels in 2020 higher than in the last 12 and 20 years.
Inequality in the region aggravated along with employment and labor participation rates among women due to Covid-19.
In 2020, the ECLAC revealed that the extreme poverty rate was 12.5% while the poverty rate affected 33.7% of the population. This means that the total number of people in need rose to 209 million by the end of 2020.
In Honduras, the combined impact of extreme poverty, the pandemic, and access to education has posed unique challenges for women of all ages.
Gender Inequality Meaning
Gender inequality is generally understood as the lack of opportunities and widespread discrimination of an individual or group due to gender.
In Latin America, women are often the ones on the receiving end of discriminatory laws and cultural norms. This means that the health and wellbeing of women and young girls is usually very low on the list of priorities.
Inequality between men and women in Honduras often leads to girls dropping out of school, getting married at a very young age, and being at risk of violence and abuse.
As a result, the percentage of Honduran girls who graduate from high school is very low, and for many impoverished Honduran girls, it’s difficult to prioritize school.
In Honduras, parents have to pay for school supplies, uniforms, and testing material. For many under-resourced families, this means that it is difficult to send a young girl to school due to the high costs.
At other times, Honduran girls may be forced to get a job to make ends meet, while high utility costs mean that young girls do not always have a home environment that is favorable for learning.
This often leads to girls being forced to ask for money or things on the streets, raise a family by themselves, or in the worst-case scenario, fall victim to crime.
Over time, this viscious cycle traps women and girls in a pattern of poverty and despair.
This is why education is such an essential part of progress for young girls. It empowers them with the skills they need to make the best decisions for themselves and their families.
It also allows them to develop a fuller understanding of the world and break the cycle that traps them. The problem in Honduras is not so black and white. While girls have the ability to go to school, family beliefs, logistics and violence create overwhelming obstacles for many of them when pursuing an education.
How Patriarchal Structures Impact Young Girls in Honduras
Gender inequality issues continue to impact the lives of young girls in Honduras, due to the patriarchal structures that exist there.
In some rural areas of Honduras, women aren’t allowed to work and are often limited to staying at home with very few educational opportunities.
This is often the norm and in some cases, girls are expected to get married at a young age. In the cities, wage inequality means that life is often a struggle for young women.
Men make all of the decisions in the household. They will often decide when women become pregnant, how many children they have, what their daily chores are, and how far their education goes.
Honduras has also become a center for sex trafficking where thousands of women and children are trafficked within the country each year. This leaves impoverished young girls in a particularly vulnerable position.
While the government has attempted to address these problems by creating a series of policy reforms, organized crime, rising poverty levels and Covid-19 make those policies inaccessible for some of the most vulnerable members of society who desperately need these policies.
Women also often find themselves at the receiving end of domestic violence and this is often not taken seriously by the law or the healthcare system.
All of these things combined mean that women are even more vulnerable in Honduras.
Combating Gender Inequality Issues in Honduras
At Our Little Roses, we understand the unique challenges and difficulties faced by young girls. Our Little Roses aims to empower them with education in a safe, nurturing environment that gives them the resources they need to grow into spiritual, educated, and loving women.
Despite the daily challenges that they face in Honduras, we are more committed than ever to ensuring that we create positive life changes for the girls under our care.
We provide a warm, secure, and loving home to girls that are rescued from abject poverty, neglect and abusive conditions.
An educated female population increases a country’s productivity and fuels economic growth.
This is why we place such a huge emphasis on helping young girls receive the education they need.
Some of the ways we make a difference in helping to improve the lives of young women and girls is by educating families and providing healthcare, safe schooling, and educational events.
In addition, our work includes providing supportive services for the local community.
Transform The Life of a Young Honduran Girl
It has been a tough two years and the pandemic has brought life to a virtual standstill in many countries and cities across the world. Honduras is no exception. However, as the world slowly starts to open up again, it has become easier for volunteers to participate in transforming the lives of young girls.
If you have a skill or ability that could contribute to the education and wellbeing of the girls under our care, we would love to hear from you.
Whether you have experience in teaching, creative writing, art, medicine, or volunteering, your assistance can really help to make a difference.
From just $2 a day, you can ensure that we are able to help provide the resources needed to provide a safe and loving home for the girls under our care.
By becoming a sponsor, you become a lifeline for these girls. Your donations can help us meet life-giving needs such as food, educational programs, clean water, and medical care. It can also help provide tuition, school supplies, and even university tuition to improve the lives of women.
The incredible generosity of our selfless volunteers and sponsors is a vital lifeline to these young girls who have very little.
Learn more about the work we do at Our Little Roses, by getting in touch today.