Responsively YoursResponsively Yours
In 2000, The National Council for Research on Women issued its demographic and statistical overview, The World’s Women. The statistics in this report are encouraging and disturbing. Let me share a few of these then suggest implications for us as members of United Methodist Women.
In industrialized countries, the adult literacy rate for women is more than 98.6 percent. In developing countries, it is 62.9 percent. The lowest rate is in Pakistan with 25.4 percent.
Education was seen as a key to improving the lives of women and their families by early missionaries in the United States and around the world. This is still true today. The education system in the United States has flaws that need to be addressed by people committed to good education for everyone. In countries like Pakistan, the girl-child is often denied education and never learns to read. Church-related mission schools are available to some children, but not to all. We need to continue our financial and prayer support of education.
In the United States, women, who make up 48 percent of the workforce, hold 70 percent of all minimum-wage and part-time positions. Around the world, women are more likely than men to lack basic literacy and computer skills required for access to information and communications fields. The 2000 U.S. Census states the median income for women working full-time is $26,433 compared to $36,376 for men.
Women who choose to work outside the home are often faced with low-paying jobs with few or no benefits. Many women try to keep their families together and off of welfare with such jobs. The task is difficult or impossible. Women in the United States and around the world need computer training so they can get better jobs. Let us recommit ourselves to work for a better welfare system; more equitable wage and benefit packages; and accessible computer training.
Throughout the world, women provide 70 percent of the unpaid care for family members.
This statistic is not new nor surprising. We fully realize women are the primary care-givers for children and the elderly worldwide. Because this is the reality does not make it right. Sharing responsibility with husbands, brothers and other family members is part of living in a just community.
Training our sons to be responsible husbands and fathers is essential. As women, we need to help each other accept the assistance of male family members and ask for it if it is not offered. Living in community requires sharing, not just assuming roles defined by gender.
In industrialized nations, life expectancy for women is 80.9 years and for men, 74.5 years. In developing countries, life expectancy for women is 66.1 years and for men, 63 years.
Life expectancy says a great deal about living conditions, access to health care, number of pregnancies, and frequency of such diseases as HIV/AIDS. Health care for women is not accessible to many women in the United States and is non-existent for many in other countries of the world.
Women have identified the issue of adequate health care as a major concern for themselves and their families. We must continue to:
Worldwide, 25-50 percent of all women have suffered physical abuse from an intimate partner. The United Nations estimates that as many as 4 million people are trafficked throughout the world each year, with many going into sweatshop labor, domestic servitude and the sex trade. Between 50,000-100,000 women and children are trafficked into the United States each year.
Violence against women and children is a major social problem. For many women, violence in the home is a daily or weekly occurrence.
The statistics on trafficking are tragic. Women and girls are shipped from Eastern Europe and Russia to Western Europe; from Nepal to India; from the Philippines to countries in the Middle East; and from many other countries in the far corners of the world. Often they are told jobs await them that will enable them to assist their families. Other times, they are told husbands are available and willing to marry them.
As Christian women, it is our responsibility to:
Women and children are at risk. They need our financial resources, our prayers and our increased commitment to making the world a safer place for all God’s children.
Responsively Yours ,
Joyce D. Sohl
Deputy General
Secretary
Women's Division