Sheryl WuDunn, co-author of best-seller “Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide,” spoke in Elkins on Wednesday night as part of the W. David Baird Distinguished Lecture Series. During the 90-minute session, WuDunn summarized the message of her book: improving the situation of women around the world who are facing horrific discrimination.
Telling stories of women she has met in her exploration of discrimination against women, WuDunn provided examples of strong women who used a small opportunity to escape a dire situation, and how some of the women even returned to the site of their previous problems to help other women escape.
At the same time, WuDunn provided startling statistics regarding sex trafficking, maternal mortality and female infanticide. For example, she reported that according to demographers, there are 150 million girls missing from the world population as a result of “discrimination to death” — when parents favor their sons over their daughters, even to the point of losing the latter.
Although the world’s cultural diversity makes it impossible to prescribe specific solutions that could solve the problem of gender discrimination everywhere, WuDunn emphasized education and economic empowerment of women as a general objective to improve their lives. Education can help women to navigate many of the difficult decisions in life and increase their ability to become contributing members of society. Much of the lecture’s message centered around the amazing success that can result from giving women economic opportunities, especially through microfinance programs.
When an audience member asked WuDunn how one could begin to reform the traditions of a culture that prioritizes males over females, WuDunn answered in favor of incorporating women into the work force.
“Part of the way to change these ideas is to show that women can generate income [for the family],” WuDunn said.
In addition to improving women’s standing in society, education can also lead women to make wiser choices in the more traditional role of mother and homemaker, WuDunn explained. She then cited research showing that women who are educated are likely to have fewer children and to raise their children in a healthier way.
In their questions and responses to the lecture, many audience members demonstrated a high level of commitment to the subject of women’s issues and human rights around the world. Kathryn Linehan, teacher of FORM fitness at Pepperdine, explained that over a decade ago, she went to Afghanistan to help create a documentary on the building of schools to enable equal education of girls. In her time there, Linehan said she witnessed the extreme societal power of education in the way that girls sought it.
“There, girls were scared not to get educated. They were taking huge risks to get it,” such as holding informal, illegal meetings to teach themselves, Linehan said.
In addition to the lecture on Wednesday night, WuDunn also met with smaller groups of students during the day, and in the morning she was able to view a local museum display that is entirely devoted to embodying the message of her book.
Docents of the museum, Skirball Cultural Center, attended the lecture and were excited to announce the ongoing display. It will open to the public on Oct. 27, and run through March. Docent Sandy Abouaf said the display will include many ways to help get visitors involved in the cause, such as a computer that will receive small donations, and a showcase of crafts made by women entrepreneurs in developing countries, which will be available for sale. The profits will go directly back to the artisans who made the products.
WuDunn became interested in the position of women around the world during her time as a journalist. Traveling with Nicholas Kristof, her husband and later co-author of “Half the Sky,” the couple noticed extreme discrimination against women in many countries they visited. WuDunn and Kristof were required to maintain journalistic objectivity while writing for newspapers, so writing “Half the Sky” was an opportunity for them to speak out strongly against the mistreatment of women.
WuDunn currently works as a senior managing director at Mid-Market Securities, but she continues the work of raising awareness for women’s rights. She encourages everyone to take up the responsibility of improving the world in a way that suits his or her own special abilities.
“Here’s the cause, join the movement, feel happier and help save the world,” WuDunn concluded.
