When I joined my school’s student advocacy committee, I saw firsthand how education can be a barrier breaker. I was assigned to collect data from our student success center, CORE, or Coming Over Recidivism through Education. I learned of some amazing feats that these formerly incarcerated students were able to accomplish, including a student who was able to transfer to UCLA to major in sociology, breaking the stereotype that incarcerated people are not capable of academic endeavors.
I realized that education is a powerful tool that is able to break barriers by giving people a new start in life. This is true not just for formerly incarcerated people but also women and girls of any demographic and age who have been victims of domestic violence, marginalization, oppression, or sex discrimination.
Why Education is a Barrier Breaker
Education is a barrier breaker for women and girls because it provides them with the knowledge and skills needed to overcome adversity and work toward long-term goals. For instance, women and girls who face poverty may be discouraged from pursuing higher education due to financial burdens or social stigma. But if given the chance to continue education, women and girls can gain the skills needed for specialized and advanced jobs, leading to a higher income and a quicker path out of poverty. According to UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization), the poverty rate in low-income countries could be reduced by 60 million people if adults completed secondary education.
Education can be an outlet for women and girls to cultivate new passions and endeavors, which can add a sense of purpose and accomplishment to their lives and lead to greater success. Dina Nayeri was a refugee seeking asylum from Iran and is now a world-renowned novelist who graduated from Princeton and Harvard. Her story is one of the many examples of the potential of education. By supporting women and girls trying to overcome barriers, we are giving them new opportunities to foster growth and potential. The non-profit organization Barrier Breakers introduced a term called the “Theory of Change,” which is the idea that students are able to create generational change and have access to opportunities if they are given the resources and support for their success.
How to Support Women’s and Girls’ Education
There are several different ways that we can support women and girls that are using education to break barriers.
1. Instill confidence within students
Students who are confident are more likely to perform academically well compared to students who lack confidence. According to the American Psychological Association, students with lower levels of confidence may doubt their abilities to succeed academically and abstain from exploring their academic endeavors and challenging themselves. Instilling confidence within students encourages them to persist through challenges, and after learning and growing from these challenges, they cultivate useful skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in their academics and career aspirations.
2. Provide a support system for students
A support system is important in a university environment to provide the necessary guidance and tools students might need to overcome barriers. For example, my college campus has a special student center which offers a support system for formerly incarcerated students. Research conducted by the National Library of Medicine shows that students who utilized the support services provided by their campus are more inclined to continue their academic journey by returning the following semester. Providing a support system for students can contribute to their confidence and success.
3. Donate to empower women and girls
An easy way to contribute to the education of women and girls facing barriers is to donate through LiveYourDream.org, a nonprofit dedicated to women’s empowerment. By making a donation, a woman or girl is provided financial support and resources that allow them to work towards building a better future for themselves through education.
Lana Hoang is a college student studying Business Administration living in Los Angeles, California. She is interested in topics surrounding women, international relations, diverse cultures, and contemporary gender studies. In her free time, she enjoys baking, cooking, reading, traveling, and watching movies.