If You Educate a Woman, You Educate a Nation

“If you educate a man, you educate an individual. But if you educate a woman, you educate a nation.” This well-known African Proverb has long been motivating people around the world to strive for education for all. To me, education is the crucial element for women to join this movement of gender equality.

The Power of #PressforProgress

In this year’s International Women’s Day, I believe we not only celebrate the achievements of women in the past, but we also need to remind ourselves to accelerate gender parity and reflect on our work in this journey.

I find the theme of this year’s campaign, #PressforProgress, particularly resonates with my heartfelt belief in the transformative power of education. Education is how we truly drive the greatest change for women and make progress in achieving equality for all. It is one thing that no one can take away from you; it is your power; it is your way of life for whatever you want to do.

Let Education Be Your Third Exit

In my home country of Morocco, there is a saying, “Every woman has two exits: from your home, go to your husband’s home, and the second exit is to the grave.” That is not the journey that my grandmother wanted for me. As an illiterate woman, she always impressed the importance of education on me, telling me to find my “third exit”. I worked hard to reach my goals, spending more than 12 hours every day in labs studying. Eventually, this hard work paid off and I became a chemical engineer with a master’s degree in physics and chemistry, and a doctorate in polymer reactive extrusion. That is what education became: literally my third exit and my passion.

I wish there were more girls in Morocco, and indeed in every corner of the world, to be as fortunate as I am, in being able to receive education and make a difference not only to their own lives, but also the lives of others. While I am proud to know that Morocco has made huge strides in education, I know there is more to be done to improve women’s higher education. Today nearly all the girls attend elementary schools and more and more women go to university - in Morocco still only 26 percent of girls attend schools in rural areas compared to 79 percent for boys[1]. In all our heart of hearts, we all know that girls in developing countries are no less deserving of an education than their male siblings. What separates them from the opportunity to learn is geography, luck, or gender in some countries.

Helping Women to Reach Their Full Potential

It would be a tall order for gender equality and education for all to happen overnight, but we must fight tirelessly towards that goal.

The good news is that there are many, many wonderful, inspirational people trying their best to advance the cause of women’s education. Also from my experience sitting on the Advisory Board of Catalyst, - a global non-profit working with some of the world’s most powerful CEOs and leading companies to build workplaces that work for women - I realize the importance of the international business community’s commitment to women’s advancement and gender equality in workplaces. Continuous education for women at work not only accelerates women into leadership, but it also helps the business to grow. Because, as part of Catalyst’s vision, progress for women is progress for everyone.

Educating women is more than transforming one individual at a time. It improves their families, communities, and even nations. Once you understand the ripple effect of education for women, I think you’ll find, as I have, that every industry or community can only reach its full potential when women reach their full potential. It is a high time to #PressforProgress, especially in the form of education. Starting with this fundamental axiom, we can unleash the power of women, for a better future.

[1] https://borgenproject.org/womens-education-in-morocco/