People are beginning to understand that women and girls hold the key to eradicating poverty. Countries that support women frequently show a better rate of economic and social development, as well as other measures of societal progress, than countries that lag behind when it comes to women and girls’ rights. Consequentially, there has been an increase in “investing” in women and girls all over the world. Because of the pivotal role that women play in development as well as the depth of resources now available, it is important to have accurate recommendations and research when it comes to funding.
“Watering the Leaves and Starving the Roots” was written by Angelika Arutyunova and Cindy Clark and sponsored by the Association for Women’s Rights in Development, and paints a picture of overall inequality for women across the world. Based on a survey of over 1,100 women’s organization, the survey results and subsequent article help decode a changing social landscape to promote more efficient use of resources.
These findings have revealed an unfortunate truth. The root of the problem of women’s inequality is often ignored. As most women’s organizations have a medium yearly income of only 20,000 American dollars, their influence and investment must be strategic. While focusing on individuals has its benefits, it is also of vital importance to support more fundamental and underlying issues such as human rights.
Arutyunova and Clark suggest that, to improve resource allocation and produce a greater overall change, funding should be focused on activists’ work and the center of the women’s rights movement. This allows for social attitudes and structural changes to gradually occur, which in turn creates a more level playing field within cultures.