Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.3.96.970415111528.16917F-100000@beta.tricity.wsu.edu> Date: Tue, 15 Apr 1997 11:29:23 -0700 From: Tom Hodges <mailto:thodges@TRICITY.WSU.EDU> Subject: Education of women, condoms, etc. To: mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU
It seems clear that most of the things mentioned in the various recent threads and flames on devel-l can contribute a little but none are alone a solution to all problems. :-)Education of women: if a girl is not educated she has no viable prospects after divorce in many countries. Therefore without education she has much less chance of convincing a husband to 1) use a condom, 2) not sleep with other women, 3) listen to her; and reduced prospects for earning money for her children.
Education of girls leads to increased empowerment for women. If a wife is earning money from farming or selling other goods she produces then she is of greater value to her husband, her opinions will count for more (use a condom, don't sleep around), and she is less frightened of divorce so can stand up for her opinions.
Making condoms available is a good idea, educating girls is critical to getting the condoms actually used.
Tom Hodges