BREAKING BARRIERS: EMPOWERMENT AND FINANCIAL FREEDOM

From being a hot roundtable topic to frequenting our social media feeds, women’s empowerment is certainly a notion always in the spotlight. But, whether our actions make lives brighter and align with our ideals is something that we should all reflect on. Awe-inspiring strides have been made towards the goal of empowering women across various parts of the world, yet there is still a lot left to be done in this department.

Credits: Channelle Nibbelink
Back in school, I remember making posters and taking part in competitions held on Women’s Day where online facts and figures were reduced to content that we included in our presentations. Those very statistics haunt me now that I’m growing up and recognizing the current state of the world . As I turn the pages of the newspaper, I see a daunting question hidden beneath the bleak ink : Are we really making progress and moving forward? Or are we ,in fact, regressing in multiple domains in this fight for women empowerment?

I wish to wake up in a world where empowerment and freedom are taken seriously instead of being a topic of an online post designed to garner likes or being an online trend that gets lost in the algorithm which, sadly, our world has reduced to. While we do have many strong women and men making a difference and being the role models the younger generation needs, we also do live in a world where a multitude of women are denied basic rights such as healthcare, education, and reproductive autonomy. Yes, these women are talked about on the news and have an online presence and representation which a few decades ago would even be unthinkable, but it is high time we not just provide them with passive voice but instead active actions. Actions which make a real difference. Actions which allow young girls to dream; actions which make it possible for them to achieve those dreams as they grow up.

Credits: Monica Garwood

It’s disappointing to see Women’s Day being reduced to an online marketing gimmick by brands and media around us. While yes sir, I would love that free ice cream scoop you are offering me but I would appreciate it more if brands and organisations would provide real benefits to those in need and actually make an impact on the community.

Women’s empowerment is intricately linked to financial freedom. The Internet defines financial freedom as having enough income, savings and investments to live the life you desire without relying on a traditional job, but it is more importantly about the control one has over their finances and the choices they make. In theory , it might sound obvious and nothing impressive but financial freedom is that card in one’s pocket that determines how free they are in today’s capitalist world. In modern society, money has ceased to remain just another form of currency used to exchange goods and services but has evolved into a symbol of freedom and power. When it comes to issues like women’s empowerment, it’s imperative that we acknowledge the integral role financial freedom plays in shaping how successful we perceive the society’s efforts in empowering women.

Credits: The New Indian Express
From offering a sliver of hope to women stuck in toxic relationships to offering wings to women to live life on their own terms, financial freedom is the key to a lot of issues that hinder the personal growth of women around us. It is an indispensable tool we need to equip our women with. According to the National Family Health Survey of India 32% of married women aged between 18–49 years have experienced spousal violence and 12.9% of unmarried women have faced domestic abuse at some point in their relationships. As we translate these percentages into figures, we are faced with a dark problem glaring right at us. While enquiring women as to why they still prefer to stay in an abusive relationship, financial constraints often head-lines the list of reasons for the same. This is where financial freedom and empowerment step in and allow women to prioritise their well-being and walk away from situations that no longer serve them.

Self confidence and self worth have an undeniable link with financial independence and security. The feeling of security and self worth intensifies when they know that they can provide for themselves along with their families and this security translates to more confidence in other aspects of life including their relationships and careers.

Financially secure women are known to make a greater social impact on their communities and society. Their hard-earned independence and security allows them freely contribute more to the causes they believe in without any restraints , and their invaluable support -be it through time, money, or skill- acts as a drive force for much needed social change. Empowered women can be the advocates the world needs at this point where by amplifying their influence they can create a positive ripple effect in their communities. There’s a very popular saying , “Educate a man and you are educating a human but educate a woman and you are educating the upcoming generations as well.” Research has shown that women in control of their finances are more likely to invest in healthcare, education and community development leading to resilient and powerful communities.
Empowered women have been successful in challenging the outdated narrative that limited women to solely being caretakers and nurturers and this shift in the narrative is crucial for the young eyes to witness and understand. Girls around the world need to be taught how to dream and more importantly how to achieve those. Gone are those days where dreams were locked and tucked away in dust-covered boxes that were only opened when someone mentioned having a dream in conversation but instead are something that one breathes and lives every moment in.

So, to the young girl who harbours big dreams while also watching her mother sacrifice hers’ ,
to the woman who grew up to believe that her voice is meant to be silenced and not heard,
to the girl who doesn’t even know she is allowed have a dream,
to the girl who has been robbed of the rights to make decisions regarding her own body,
to the girl who was preyed upon by society,
to the girl who’s inspiring others around her and to every resilient and beautiful woman out there – Believe in yourself; you’re capable of overcoming every challenge thrown your way. Happy Women’s Day.