An Example of Entrepreneurship in Women's Education

The organization of Akhism (Ahilik) is an example of non-formal education, established on Anatolian soil in the 13th century. With its women's branch—Bajiyan-ı Rum/Bacılık/sisterhood—it aims to educate women professionally and helps women contribute to society. It is expected from women and men to be good and moral individuals, tradesmen, craftsmen, or traders. By doing their jobs well, they managed to achieve economic stability in society. Women were given the opportunity to have entrepreneurial characteristics in the community and to do their best in line with their own abilities. Akhism/Bacılık system affected the Turkish states and education systems established on Anatolian lands. The effect also continues today. In this chapter, which is a literature review, what the Akhism/Bajiyan-ı Rum system is, its place in the vocational education of women, and its effect on today were discussed.

Challenges Facing Women in the Mining Area of Bojanala District of South Africa

This chapter examined the Marikana Massacre and its effects on women of the deceased and those who sustained injuries. It also covers the challenges of the women in the Bojanala District of South Africa. The chapter also addresses the disparities and inequalities experienced by women in the mining industry. Forty women participants were part of the study. The data was gathered through questionnaires, oral interviews, and observations. The analysis revealed that more women were affected by the massacre and has deepened their level of poverty. The government provided interventions, but the findings revealed that the incident has left participants with scars, loss of income, and dissatisfaction. The chapter recommended some possible measures to improve the situation of women because of the Marikana Massacre and poverty in the area.

Why Women Are Not Leading or Left Behind

Men greatly outnumber women in leadership positions. Women are much less likely than men to be considered leaders. The status of women and leadership has been a quiet subject that is barely pronounced consciously. This is attributable to the various levels of discrimination, barriers, and biases that the society has towards women. The glass ceiling phenomenon is a great indicator and an illustrator of the fact that women have got what it takes to lead at the top levels in various spheres, but this has been curtailed by the various manifestations of the glass ceiling. Various scholars have demonstrated the contribution of inhibitions such as human capital differences, gender differences, as well as gender perceptions and biases. This chapter explores the intricate relationship and interplay between all these factors.

Gender, ICT, and Micro-Loans for Small Business Operations in Ghana

In many underserved communities in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), including those in Ghana, there are microfinance institutions (MFIs) that provide small non-collateralized loans (or micro-loans) to entrepreneurs, including women entrepreneurs. The micro-lending activities, especially those channeled through entrepreneurship programs, were reported as being helpful and allowed for financial inclusion. However, Anaman and Pobbi evaluated performance and reported that some of the MFIs were becoming a burden because of steep interest rate charges and loan default, raising a need for borrowers to use relevant information and communication technology (ICT) tools and services to support business operations. This chapter reports a study on the differences in attitudes of female versus male borrowers of micro-loans and their use of ICT to support small business operations in Ghana.

Sex, Scholarship, and Service

In the global context, women are 49.6% of the total population, and in what history has categorized as the “elite professions,” there is near equal parity between male and female-identifying persons. In American Higher Education, parity has nearly been met with female-identifying academicians comprising of 47% of the professoriate, yet 65% of the senior ranks of the professoriate are still male. Women are less tenured and less promoted than males. Globally, women are less published. In the American academy, women are invited to present less and are recognized less for their accomplishments. While the disparity numbers in research or scholarly productivity have been reported for decades, an examination of the systemic factors contributing to the disparities has not. This chapter seeks to present the overwhelming intersectionality of gender and scholarly productivity in the academy through the lens of intersectionality theory and the implications for a continued need for sweeping reforms in the practices exacerbating the inequity in higher education for women.

Women in Higher Education in Nigeria

This chapter examines issues of female access to higher education in Nigeria and the equity and empowerment interventions available to female staff and students in higher educational institutions (HEIs) in the light of Items 4 and 5 of the Sustainable Development Goals. It focuses on the major challenges, responses, their drivers, and their effectiveness. Statistical and existing qualitative data are used to highlight the persistent sociocultural, economic, political, security, and policy challenges that continue to negatively impact female participation and experiences in higher education. It advocates enactment and implementation of legislation and institutional policies to promote gender equity, gendering of the curriculum, females' equitable and quality participation in leadership positions, and better security from internal and external threats. Advocacy to foster widespread attitudinal change and collaboration on global and regional development initiatives marked by national priorities should facilitate the attainment of these goals. .

Women and STEM Education in Nigeria

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education teach the four disciplines in an interdisciplinary and applied approach. Globally, the STEM areas are in the forefront of economic development. The government of Nigeria has already forged partnerships and is drawing upon the technological experience of other countries to build new STEM learning opportunities for Nigerian students. The federal government has established several federal universities of science and technology with the sole purpose of improving the teaching of STEM areas. Traditional education in Nigeria challenges range from poverty, poor school funding, poorly trained teachers, inadequate learning aids, incessant strikes, among others. It is time that Nigeria realizes that women and girls continue to be extremely underrepresented in the sciences and incorporate them in the new programme because ensuring that more girls receive a quality education will reap dividends for the safety, security, and prosperity of the nation and for the next generations.

Gender Disparities in Primary and Secondary School Enrollment and Attainment in Nigeria

The education of girls and women is necessary to national development. This chapter, divided into four parts, set out to study if there had been progress in the area of girl's education. Section 1 provides analyses of data from the National Bureau of Statistics, the Universal Basic Education Commission, and other Federal Government of Nigeria agencies on gender differences in education from 2010-2016. In Section 2, data is compared for selected years from 1990-2016 to determine if there are improving trends for girls in the areas of enrollment and completion rates. Section 3 explored some of the causes for the disparities. Section 4 discussed federal government input in the area of improving girls education in Nigeria and how education of women is a social justice issue and necessary for national development. The study showed that while there were improving trends, problems still remained. Recommendations were made on how to improve the situation. For without gender equality, women will continue to be left out of the national development process.

The Use of Digital Technologies for Enhancing Female-Owned Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises in Southern Nigeria

The empowerment of women through quality education and wage employment has added to income generation for them and their families. Some women become entrepreneurs in the absence of meaningful wage employment, or where formal employments are seasonal, erratic, and not able to support the family. In Sub-Saharan Africa, women who are self-employed are growing exponentially. Globally, women-owned enterprises contribute nominally to total business revenues in most economies, suggesting that on average they are smaller in size and have lower market capitalization. Recently, businesses are migrating online, with entrepreneurs leveraging on digital platforms. This chapter investigates how social media can enhance business operations for women-owned firms, thus mitigating a number of these constraints. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered to 73 respondents; data were analyzed with SPSS (vs. 25). The results showed that some constraints experienced by female entrepreneurs were impacted positively with the use of digital technologies.

Sex Trafficking and Forced Sex Work Amongst Girls and Women in Namibia

The main objective of this chapter is to examine sex trafficking amongst girls and women in Namibia. In 2019 the United States Department of State deemed Namibia a Tier 2 country in terms of its effort to fight trafficking. Thus, while Namibia is not considered a nation where the massive expoitation of girls and women for international sex trafficking occurs, there is research indicating that there is significant intranational sex trafficking. Impoverished rural women and girls, often from ethnic minorities, are coerced or forced to move to border towns, urban areas, and tourist destinations to engage in sex work. This form of trafficking is frequently under-reported, if reported at all. The material presented in this chapter is based on research from recent reports regarding the situation. This information will be augmented with data and excerpts from transcribed interviews conducted in 2013 with 73 self-identified sex workers and ex-sex workers, many of whom were forced to relocate for the purpose of engaging in sex work.