Thursday, March 15, 2018

Teenage Girls Breaking Stereotypes


One of the parallel events organized by CSW62 was titled, "Rights, Voice, Dreams, and Friendship: How Teenage Girls Achieve Empowerment". A group of teenage girls from Chechnia and the leaders of the organization Young Women Development Program (YWDP) came to share their experience,  challenges and the changes they bring.
The girls have presented how hard it is to live in their hierarchical and patriarchal culture, where women do not have enough voice to express their needs, where young girls cannot stand up for themselves. The girls shared how hard it was for them to live in their culture, be accepted by the society while trying to develop their own careers.

One of the girls said: "I am blessed to have the right family, where the education is valued. My parents motivated me to pay attention to my future and seek a degree. Unfortunately, not a lot of girls are as fortunate as I am. A lot of them, especially those living in the rural areas, even do not finish their school. They drop it and get married since it is what the society and family expect them to do. It is hard to go against this cultural mentality. People may not understand you in the right way. That's why it is important to have supportive individuals next to you".

Image result for YWDG chechnya


Another adolescent girl shared her challenges when she wanted to pursue a degree in the department of architecture. She said: "All the teachers, professors, classmates, men I knew were telling me that I had a very bad idea and should not pursue a degree in it. All of them were saying that the profession of an architect was not for women and that I would not be able to find a job in the future. However, with the help of YWDG, I could improve my self-esteem, believe in my skills and abilities and follow the call of my heart. As a result, I am in the second year of the department of architecture and I believe that I will be a good architect."

The organization has carried out a number of projects, worked with a number of girls, and made a great amount of impact on the lives of a lot of teenagers. It was breathtaking to hear how women are helping, motivating and inspiring each other to raise, fight for their rights and dreams, and be empowered."


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