Educating Women in Developing Countries

In response to my recent piece on population growth and sustainability, frequent commenter Chris Daum writes:

The main issue, as I see it, is the education and empowerment of women. Educated women have fewer, healthier children and are able to contribute more to their community than just being breeders. Unfortunately, many of the poorest countries with high birth rates have cultures/religions that are against such empowerment. How are they to be convinced of their self-interest gained by educating their girls and women?

Excellent question, Chris.  Here’s a partial answer: NGOs like the Turimiquire Foundation.  For more than 30 years, these people have worked in Eastern Venezuela to accomplish precisely what you’re talking about here.  It’s done in the context of all manner of other social goods: health, organic farming, driving a viable and productive economy, etc.  But at the end of the day, their work to build sustainability in the region has focused on education, concentrating on women.  The message: Go to school now; have a thoughtfully planned family later.  If you’re sure you’ve had all the children you want, we’ll arrange a free tubal ligation. 

To address your question specifically, i.e., how you convince people it’s in their best interests, Turimiquire (which I support with an annual contribution, btw) is extremely well regarded by the governmental agencies in Venezuela, and, apparently, even by the Catholic Church.