Strength TogetHER 25 - Session 4

20th April, 2022.

With the support of the WOW team, British council we expanded our Strength TogetHER sessions in Karmahawa School, Lumbini with a group of 35 girls which was divided into groups of 13 and 22 girls from grade 11 and 12 respectively. 

Strength TogetHER provided a safe space for girls to share personal stories and experience which brings change in attitudes and lives. They get to explore and express themselves which helps to unburden themselves and create meaning. 

Girls discuss their issues and come up with solutions that group members can support each other with. They learn to speak up and share their stories to the group which is relatable to almost all girls. They are empowered by the story they share and learn new lessons after every session they attend. 

On 20th April, 2022 we started our 4th session on the topic, “Gender Stereotype”. This was a virtual session. We began our session by asking our participants if they find any differences in the way girls and boys are treated in society. Our participants shared that there has always been a big difference in society in many ways from birth. 

One of the participants shared, there is usually a huge celebration when a baby boy is born in a family, but when a baby girl is born then, in her words, “parents look like blood has been drained out of their body”. The difference starts from when a girl is born in the world. There’s also a visible difference in the way neighbors and relatives congratulate a family on the basis of a son or daughter's birth in the family. 

Our other participants added that boys are sent to a good boarding school while girls are sent to public schools as there is a belief that girls are to be sent away to another family’s house after marriage and providing them good education would not benefit them, and consider it as an added burden. Girls are also expected to speak in a low voice, do all house chores, not laugh loudly, and stay at home unlike boys who are allowed to go out without restrictions and any expectations to do chores. 

They collectively shared that being from a small village there aren’t any colleges nearby they can go to for their Bachelors/ undergrad degree. They have to either travel daily to another village or, go to stay in a town for their education. But, being girls they are not allowed to stay or travel long routes without supervision. They are also not allowed to roam or travel around with their friends. On the other hand, boys get to do everything without any restrictions. 

We then discussed how these stereotypes have affected their lives. They shared that they feel sad and have limited their vision to dream big. They realized that these are common problems that not one but all of them faced. 

Moving forward, we asked our participants what could be their role in changing these stereotypes. They shared that since their generation is educated  they can start to bring change by starting small like wishing a big Congratulations both when a baby girl or a boy is born, trying to change perspectives of their family members, and not discriminating between boy and girls in any way. 

Finally we concluded the session by noting that girls have their rights to freedom and education. And, exercising them is important. Making little changes from today is what will definitely bring a bigger change in society in future.