Closing the Gender Wage Gap

As we all know, gender inequality is not limited to India; it exists in most countries around the world, including the U.S. The gender wage gap is evidence of this. As the following infographic shows, the difference in economic attainments between men and women as shown in their earnings, is one aspect of the gender gap that we must make an effort to eliminate. It's true that there's still a long struggle ahead for us, but we've got the determination and the enthusiasm to work for change.

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Our Very Own Magi

On this special day of gift giving, we would like to share, not the story of the three wise men, but that of a very kind and generous wise woman called Teresa, a sponsor of the Women's Literacy Project who has donated extensively to our cause.

As a teacher, Teresa knows that illiteracy is at the root of the great gender divide that exists in India. Hence, she is aware of how the lives of the women of Paddar will improve through literacy.

We know Teresa well and can easily speak of her intelligence, her wit and her commitment to helping the needy. Through her generosity, she has helped sustain this literacy project since its launch in 2010. She has always asked to remain anonymous, but we felt we needed to pay homage to our most generous and concerned benefactor on this day of giving and solidarity.

Indian Women Struggle for Change

Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Statistics show that women in India have achieved a great deal in recent years, including a reduction in maternal mortality rates, and an increase in both literacy rates and education levels. However, there is still much to be done to reduce the gender gap. 

In reaction to the gruesome gang rape in Delhi, a protest movement emerged which was born, according to the women who started it, "'of their outraged realization that no matter how accomplished they become, or how hard they work, women here will never fully take part in the promise of a new and more prosperous India unless something fundamental about the culture changes.'"

According to the N.Y. Times article "Indian Women March: 'That Girl Could Have Been Any One of Us'"), "sociologists and crime experts say the attacks are the result of deeply entrenched misogynistic attitudes and the rising visibility of women, underpinned by long-term demographic trends in India." These atttitudes must change.  How, then, can we contribute to this change?

The Women's Literacy Project of Gulabgarh is aware that, no matter how small our effort, we can all help to improve the situation of Indian women and we therefore support whatever measures and efforts must me taken to achieve this aim. In our case, actions begins with increasing the literacy rate among the women of rural areas in Paddar.

Among other things, literacy empowers women by increasing their self-confidence and providing opportunities for them to improve their lives at both a personal and professional level. It also raises awareness, helping women to recognize what their collective needs and rights are, thereby providing them with an essential tool for understanding why this affirmative struggle for change is so important. Finally, literacy can show women how they can remain united in this positive undertaking.

On a positive note, we see that people have joined together in this movement to demand a safer existence for all women throughout India. Let us hope that this union is a long-lasting one, capable of bringing on other greatly needed changes in social attitudes that will close the great gender divide.