adminA Bahá’í Perspective Flora Teckie —
Education and training of girls is vital to the advancement of nations. Without the qualities, talents and skills of both women and men, full socio-economic development of the planet is impossible.
Despite visible improvements in the last few decades to ensure equal education and other rights for the girls, various forms of discrimination against them still persist. According to 2015 UNICEF statistics, 58 million children of primary school age and 63 million adolescents continue to be denied their right to education and majority of these are girls.
Education of girls is not only a human right. It is also in the best interests of society. In one of its statements, the Bahá’í International Community asserts, “Creating empowering environments at home and in society is essential to giving girls the knowledge and tools they need to contribute fully to the advancement of civilisation”.
It is the Bahá’í view that education should be provided to every child, and equally to boys and girls. The capacity of a girl is the same as a boy and she can achieve similar results as a boy if she is educated and exposed to the same opportunities. According to the Bahá’í Scriptures, “… men and women are equal in the sight of God … there is no distinction to be made between them. The only difference between them now is due to lack of education and training. If a woman is given equal opportunity of education, distinction and estimate of inferiority will disappear”.
The advancement of civilisation now requires the full participation of everyone, including women. For this to happen, girls, as well as boys, must be valued by their families and by society and given equal opportunities in all fields of human endeavour.
The Universal House of Justice, the governing council of the Bahá’í international community states, “The cause of universal education … deserves the utmost support that the governments of the world can lend it. For ignorance is indisputably the principal reason for the decline and fall of peoples and the perpetuation of prejudice.
No nation can achieve success unless education is accorded all its citizens. … The decision-making agencies involved would do well to consider giving first priority to the education of women and girls, since it is through educated mothers that the benefits of knowledge can be most effectively and rapidly diffused throughout society. In keeping with the requirements of the times, consideration should also be given to teaching the concept of world citizenship as part of the standard education of every child”.
Not only must girl-children receive adequate food, health care, and education, they must also be given every opportunity to develop their capacities. Girls will not only render service to humanity as mothers and first educators of the next generation, but, as women, they will make special contributions to the creation of a just world order. Mothers can be the primary agents for empowering individuals to transform society. They can instill in their children the self-esteem and respect for others, essential for the advancement of humanity.
Our challenge today is how to create the conditions in which girls can develop to their full potential. The creation of such conditions will involve not only deliberate attempts to change in various structures of society, but, equally important in the transformation of individuals – men and women, boys and girls.
From the Bahá’í perspective, the essence of any program of social change is the understanding that the individual has a spiritual or moral dimension. This shapes their understanding of their life’s purpose, their responsibilities towards the family, the community and the world. The development of individuals’ moral and spiritual capabilities, as well as changes in their social structures, are necessary for eliminating discrimination against girls.
For feedback please contact: nsazim@zol.co.zw or [email protected]
Website: www.bahai.org
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