Malawian women lack educational and economic opportunities and as a consequence, they often rely on men for their survival. A strong cultural bias that favors boys means that few girls attend school. This helps to explain why women's literacy rates in Malawi are a dismal 52% compared to 76% for men, while HIV infection rates are highest among women who account for 60% of infected adults.

Women's empowerment has a ripple effect - as a woman's status increases her health and the health of her family improves, maternal and child mortality rates decrease, her children are more likely to attend primary and high school, the next generation's prospects improve, and her country's economic health is strengthened.
 

In villages, young women are sometimes pressured by adults to marry older men, and their youth and low social status gives them less power to negotiate sexual safeguards in their marriages. This puts them at a higher risk for HIV. When a woman is widowed or a girl is orphaned, they may be coerced into transactional sex with men for money, food and other essentials, making them more vulnerable to HIV.

GAIA created the Nursing Scholarship and Microfinance programs to give women further educational and economic opportunities. These programs help women access the resources they need to protect themselves and their families from malnutrition, diseases like HIV and death.

Women's empowerment has a ripple effect-as a woman's status increases her health and the health of her family improves, maternal and child mortality rates decrease, her children are more likely to attend primary and high school, the next generation's prospects improve, and her country's economic health is strengthened. As mothers, aunts and sisters make educational and financial gains, millions of young girls look up to them as role models and boys learn that when women succeed everyone benefits.

Read about the NURSING SCHOLARSHIP FUND >>