speech on importance of women's education

Jul 13, 2020

Michelle Obama Speech Transcript on the Importance of Educating Girls & Gender Equality

Former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama gave a virtual video speech on July 13 to the 2020 Girl Up Leadership Summit attendees. Read the full transcript of her video message here.

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Michelle Obama: ( 00:00 ) Hi, everyone. I wish we could be together sharing hugs and laughs in person, but I am so thankful that Girl Up has found a way to keep us connected and celebrate the power of girls all over the world.

Michelle Obama: ( 00:14 ) Over these past few months, there’s been so much uncertainty. You all are dealing with serious loss in your own families and abrupt changes to your daily lives, especially when it comes to your education. But you all have shown incredible resilience in difficult circumstances before. Your determination over so many years has already helped countless girls create a brighter future for themselves and their families. And this pandemic has only shown that your efforts are even more important right now.

Michelle Obama: ( 00:49 ) We know from past crises like Ebola, that the struggles that many girls already face are worsened in times like these: violence at home, child marriage and teen pregnancy, economic hardship, and caretaking responsibilities within families. Challenges like these are made even more stark in times of crisis; and that, of course, includes education.

Michelle Obama: ( 01:17 ) The Malala Fund predicts that when students are eventually allowed back into their classrooms, an additional 10 million girls of secondary school age could remain out of school. And we can’t let that happen. We can’t let these girls be forgotten during this crisis. The stakes are just too high. Because when we give girls the chance to learn, we give them the opportunity to fulfill their potential, build healthier families and contribute to their country’s economies for generations to come.

Michelle Obama: ( 01:52 ) That’s why we started the Girls Opportunity Alliance at the Obama Foundation. Because we believe that the millions of adolescent girls around the world who aren’t in school today can make a profound difference for their families, their communities, and our entire world; but, only if they have the opportunity and the education to get it done.

Michelle Obama: ( 02:19 ) I know that all of you believe that too. And that’s why we are excited to work hand-in-hand with each and every one of you. And you can start by joining me in spreading the word about global girls education with the hashtag #GirlsOpportunityAlliance.

Michelle Obama: ( 02:37 ) I’ve already seen your ability to create change all over the world. Girl Up clubs have stepped up in incredible, inspiring ways during the pandemic from making face masks for their communities in Mexico, to setting up online learning platforms in Malawi. With every action you take, you’re proving that you’re not just the leaders of tomorrow, you’re already the leaders of today.

Michelle Obama: ( 03:04 ) So thank you again. Thank you for everything you’re doing. I can’t wait to see how you’ll come together to change the world and help all girls fulfill their boundless promise. Have a great summit. See you.

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Four Top Speeches on Girls’ Education

Despite major headway, particularly in global poverty alleviation, there are still significant social and cultural barriers to education for girls around the world. Modern third-wave feminism and contemporary feminist jurisprudence itself continue to prioritize the elimination of gender-based discrimination in all facets along with its focus on intersectionality.

As girls’ education remains one of the most prevalent social issues of today, the following are some of the top speeches on girls’ education that prove to be inspiring and revolutionary not only in their content and scope but also their context and timelessness.

• ‘What Educated Women Do’ by Indira Gandhi:  This particular speech was rendered by former Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi before her death and it remains one of the most influential speeches on girls’ education , especially as it draws attention to the issues faced in South Asia. Not only does she use anecdotes and experiences from her own life to describe India’s tough social landscape but she also outlines the hardships and conditions for women and children in the country and the continued presence of outdated and oppressing social constructs in society. According to Gandhi, education is paramount to ensuring India’s continued growth and development in the future. Furthermore, she believed that educated women in India can boost the country’s image on the world stage as well.
• “Islam Forbids Injustice Against People, Nations and Women,” by Benazir Bhutto:  The speech given by Pakistan’s former Prime Minister before her death is especially noteworthy for its radical opposition to politics and society in the country. Bhutto’s position in Pakistan’s political arena was largely dominated by her political activism to end discrimination and inequality . She singled out conservatism and patriarchy in society as being some of the primary causes of discrimination. Moreover, Bhutto’s unraveling of society was especially historic at that juncture as she called into question the religious misinterpretation of Islamic teachings and the propagation of obscurantism that contributes to it. She distinguished between social taboos and Islamic religious teachings to highlight the social injustices adversely impacting women in her country.
• ‘Let Girls Learn’ by Michelle Obama in London: Of all the empowering speeches Michelle Obama has given through her tenure as the former First Lady of the United States, a rather remarkable one remains her address on the occasion of her campaign for ‘Let Girls Learn,’ which is an organization that revitalizes the importance of girl’s education across the world. Established in 2015  by the Obamas in collaboration with USAID, Let Girls Learn aims to reach more than 62 million girls globally by increasing existing education programs and securing private-sector commitments. These initiatives will help increase access to education and crumble existing barriers. In her speech, she struck a chord as she passionately advocated for girls’ education as she  addressed girls in a school in Mulberry , a borough that is known to be among London’s poorest. On this visit, Michelle Obama collaborated with the U.K. government and secured $200 million in funding to support girls’ education in conflict-ridden zones in countries like Liberia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sierra Leone.
• UN Address by Malala Yousafzai: Not only did this speech cement Malala Yousafzai’s influence globally but it also alerted the world to the deficiencies and lack of girl’s education in many countries. She drew from the context in Pakistan and her horrific experiences as a child. In her poignant speech, she spoke about practices like child labor, exploitation and other social injustices befalling women. She also emphasized the strong potential that female education could have on the world, particularly in crises like war, conflict and poverty. One of the most striking aspects of her speech is her direct address to world leaders as she urged international discourse on peace and security to center around the protection of women and girls and securing their rights. The last words of her speech, ‘Education first,’ still remain the key pillar for all her initiatives, particularly the work being undertaken by the Malala Foundation.

These four incredible women have been an inspiration to women and girls around the world. They have tirelessly fought for equality for women and an equal chance at education. These four women delivered the four top speeches on girls’ education.

– Shivani Ekkanath Photo: Pixabay

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Key data on girls and women’s right to education

This page presents several graphics analyzing the data generated from  HerAtlas , UNESCO’s interactive tool monitoring girls and women’s right to education worldwide . The graphics are updated regularly to reflect the latest data from the tool. 

Unless specified otherwise, data source is HerAtlas .

Right to education, pregnant and parenting girls

According to our monitoring tool, worldwide, 2% of countries restrict the right to education of married, pregnant and parenting girls and women in their legal framework. These countries are located in three different regions. The restrictions could either prohibit them from attending school or sitting an exam, limiting them to attend adult or evening classes, or separating them from their peers and isolating them for fear that they would ‘influence’ other students.

Data demonstrates that secondary school-aged girls are substantially more likely to be out of school when the legal right to education of pregnant and parenting girls is restricted, especially at the upper secondary level. It also follows the general trend, as there are more adolescent out-of-school at the upper secondary level.

62% of countries do not have a legislation that explicitly protect girls’ right to education in case of pregnancy but 33% do have such provisions, which are sometimes very detailed and protective. Latin America and the Caribbean is the region with the most countries that protect explicitly their right to education, followed by Europe and North America and then Africa.

While in 2019, 8 countries were restricting the right to education of pregnant, parenting and married girls in their legislation, four countries in the African region have put an end to such ban, therefore leaving only four countries with an explicit ban. 

The following graphics represent the data of indicator 12 of Her Atlas. According to the methodology of HerAtlas , the legislation is considered as explicitly protecting the right to education of pregnant and parenting girls only if there is a provision mentioning expressly pregnancy, parenting and education. Guaranteeing the right to education without discrimination is not considered as an explicit protection for this indicator.

Right to education, child marriage and gender-based violence in schools

According to the Joint CEDAW General Recommendation / CRC General Comment , capable child below the age of 18 may be allowed to get married provided that the child is at least 16 years old and that such decisions are made by a judge based on legitimate exceptional grounds defined by law and on the evidence of maturity.

Worldwide, 17% of countries still allow marriage before the age 18 years old for girls. 44% allow it from 18 years old, but with exceptions before that age. In such cases, exceptions can for example require a parental consent only, or a judicial one but with a minimum age below 16, and an absolute minimum age is not always set. 34% of countries do set a minimum age of marriage at 18 for girls, with no exception or judicial exceptions only with an absolute minimum age set at 16 years old.

At the regional level, Europe and North America is the region with the fewest number of countries that allow marriage before 18 years old for girls and with the highest number of countries setting 18 as the minimum age without exceptions, or only judicial ones with an absolute minimum age set at 16.

Globally, the percentage of child marriage is higher in countries where education is neither compulsory nor free. The percentage of women aged 20 to 24 who were first married or in union before their 18 is more than halved in countries where education is compulsory for nine years or more and fee for 12 years or more in comparison to countries where education is neither compulsory nor free.

Regarding legal protection against gender-based violence and corporal punishment within education establishments, 14% of countries provide for a wide protection (protecting from corporal punishment and physical, psychological and sexual violence), 54% with a partial protection, and 29% do not provide protection, among those, some authorizes the use of corporal punishment in schools. At the regional level, Latin America and the Caribbean is the region with the most countries providing a wide protection, but also with the most countries that do not provide for protection.

Right to education, compulsory, and free education

Worldwide, 16% of countries still do not guarantee the right to education in their Constitution or laws. Among the 84% of countries that legally protect the right to education, 58% explicitly guarantee it without discrimination based on sex and/or gender.

At the regional level, it is in Asia Pacific that the highest percentage of countries not guaranteeing the right to education can be found, while it is in the Arab region that there is the highest percentage of countries legally protecting the right to education without discrimination. Finally, both the Arab region and the Latin America & Caribbean region have the highest percentage of countries explicitly guaranteeing the right to education without discrimination based on sex and/or gender.

Regarding compulsory and free pre-primary education, worldwide, 27% of countries guarantee it in their legislation while 19% legally guarantee free or compulsory pre-primary education. At the regional level, it is in the Latin America & Caribbean region that there is the highest percentage of countries legally guaranteeing compulsory and free pre-primary education, followed by the Europe & North America region.

At the global level, 31% of countries legally guarantee compulsory primary and secondary education for at least nine years and free education for at least 12 years, while 5% of countries do not guarantee neither compulsory nor free primary and secondary education. The others either guarantee compulsory or free primary and secondary education, or they do guarantee both, but the duration of compulsory education is less than nine years, or the duration of free education is less than 12 years. At the regional level, it is in the Europe & North American region that there is the highest percentage of countries legally guaranteeing compulsory and free primary and secondary education, for a duration of respectively at least nine and 12 years.

Out of school and enrolment rate compared to the legal protection of free and compulsory education

When pre-primary education is neither legally compulsory nor free, the out-of-school rate of girls of primary school age is higher than the out-of-school rate of boys of the same age. On the contrary, when pre-primary education is legally compulsory and free, the out-of-school rate of girls of primary school age is lower than the out-of-school rate of boys of primary school age. For both boys and girls, the out-of-school rate of children of primary school age is lower when pre-primary education is legally compulsory and free.

Similarly, the out-of-school rate for children, adolescents and youth of primary, lower secondary and upper secondary school age is divided by three when primary and secondary education is compulsory for at least nine years and free for at least twelve years, compared to the out-of-school rate when education is neither compulsory nor free. While the out-of-school rate of girls is higher than the one of boys when education is neither compulsory nor free, the out-of-school rate of boys is higher than the out-of-school rate of girls when education is compulsory for at least 9 years and free for at least 12 years.

Finally, the gross enrolment ratio (GER) for tertiary education is multiplied by 6 when primary and secondary education is compulsory for 9 years and free for 12 years, compared to the tertiary education GER when primary and secondary education is neither compulsory nor free. The GER of boys in tertiary education is the same than the GER of girls when primary and secondary education is neither compulsory nor free, but the GER of boys is lower than the GER of girls when primary and secondary education is compulsory for 9 years and free for 12 years.

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Meghan Markle's First Speech on the Royal Tour Centered Around the Importance of Women's Education

"Everyone should be afforded the opportunity to receive the education they want, but more importantly the education they have the right to receive."

When Meghan Markle discussed the challenges of paying for an education yesterday, she was speaking from experience.

"It was through scholarships, financial aid programs and work-study, where my earnings from a job on campus went directly towards my tuition, that I was able to attend university," she said. "And, without question, it was worth every effort."

The grants will be put toward workshops for the institutions' female faculty, which in turn will allow "more women become part of the decision-making process in academic institutions," according to Meghan. "Because when girls are given the right tools to succeed, they can create incredible futures, not only for themselves but also for those around them."

Read the full transcript of her speech below:

Bula! It is a great privilege to be with all of you today.

As a university graduate, I know the personal feeling of pride and excitement that comes with attending university. From the moment you receive your acceptance letter, to the exams you spend countless late nights studying for, the lifelong friendships you make with your fellow alumni, and the moment you receive your diploma. The journey of higher education is an incredible, impactful, and pivotal one.

I am also fully aware of the challenges of being able to afford this level of schooling for so many people around the world—myself included. It was through scholarships, financial aid programs and work-study, where my earnings from a job on campus went directly towards my tuition, that I was able to attend university. And, without question, it was worth every effort.

Everyone should be afforded the opportunity to receive the education they want, but more importantly the education they have the right to receive. And for women and girls in developing countries, this is vital. Providing them with access to education is the key to economic and social development. Because when girls are given the right tools to succeed, they can create incredible futures, not only for themselves but also for those around them.

While progress has been made in many areas across the Commonwealth, there is always scope to offer more opportunities to the next generation of young adults, and specifically to young women.

The Association of Commonwealth Universities, which Her Majesty the Queen is Patron of, supports universities to promote equality in their own institutions. I am pleased to announce today that two new grants will be awarded to Fiji National University and the University of the South Pacific, allowing each of them to run workshops which empower their female staff.

This means that female faculty members are able to encourage others to follow in their footsteps and enter higher-education, and that more women become part of the decision-making process in academic institutions. Grants like this ensure that women are provided with the training and skills to operate effectively in their roles, and those with leadership potential are given the opportunity to be heard and recognized at the most senior level.

It is wonderful to join you here today, and we look forward to learning more about your academic endeavors and the work you plan to do as future leaders and as change-makers!

My husband Harry and I wish you all the very best of luck as you continue your studies and work. Your efforts now will help to make a positive future for each of you and your communities at large. Congratulations to you all!

Chloe is a News Writer for Townandcountrymag.com , where she covers royal news, from the latest additions to Meghan Markle’s staff to Queen Elizabeth’s monochrome fashions ; she also writes about culture, often dissecting TV shows like The Marvelous Mrs Maisel and Killing Eve .

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Importance of Women’s Education

• Updated on  
• Nov 15, 2021

What is education ? Education is defined as learning or studying existing knowledge and cultural legacy. It is a fundamental human right , accessible to all genders or sexes. Across the world, education is viewed as a necessity yet millions of women remain illiterate because of poverty, social stigma, discrimination, lack of resources and much more. In this blog, we will understand the importance of women’s education and will see some of the famous quotes of world leaders on women’s education.

Also Read: Myths About the Indian Education System

This Blog Includes:

What is the importance of women’s education, importance of women’s education: explained in simpler terms, why is it important to educate women , speech on importance of women’s education, importance of women’s education in women empowerment, importance of women’s education quotes, importance of women’s education on their health, welfare schemes for women.

Female education is a catch-all term for a complex set of issues and controversies surrounding education for girls and women (including elementary, secondary, and university education, as well as health education). It’s also known as women’s education or girls’ education. Inequalities in education for girls and women are complex: some problems are more systematic and less explicit, such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education disparities, while others are more systematic and less explicit, such as violence against women or prohibitions of girls from going to school.

Women’s education is critical to the country’s entire development. It’s similar to an effective medicine that may know how to cure a patient and recover their health. A well-educated lady is capable of managing both her personal and professional lives. The physical and intellectual growth of the child is the moral goal of education. Education’s true objective is to provide students with “full knowledge” or “greater information.” 

A well-educated woman provides the skills, knowledge, and self-assurance necessary to be a better mom, worker, and citizen. A well-educated woman will also be more productive and well-paid at work. Indeed, the return on investment in education is often higher for women than for males.

The following are some of the reasons why it is crucial to educate women, especially in an underdeveloped country:

Basic Right

To begin with, education is a fundamental right for everyone, and when we say everyone, we must remember that women should be included in this group. We cannot have such a big number of illiterate women in our society; it would be a great loss to us. Every girl and woman, whether rich, poor, young, elderly, married, single, widowed or of any other social position, has the right to an education. Education is a fundamental right, not a privilege.

Increases Literacy Rate

Nearly 63% of the world’s 163 million illiterate youngsters are female. By providing education to all children, literacy rates will rise, boosting development in undeveloped countries.

Eliminates Human Trafficking

According to the United Nations Inter-Agency Project on Human Trafficking, women are most vulnerable to trafficking when they are uneducated and poor. This multinational business may be seriously impacted by giving young females opportunities and essential skills.

Political Representation

Women are under-represented as voters and political participants all across the world. Civic education, training, and overall empowerment, according to the United Nations Women’s programmes on leadership and participation, will help bridge that gap.

Equality in Society

Discrimination and inequality always begin at the root level. When a boy goes to school while his sister remains home because she is a girl, it sows a seed of bias in the boy’s head. He believes he is superior simply because he is a boy, and he has no rationale for this belief. When women participate in education by attending schools and colleges with males, the boys are more aware of their educational rights and are less likely to acquire a superiority complex. As a result, teaching both men and women promotes the concepts of equality and democracy.

Poverty Reduction

When women have equal rights and access to education, they are more likely to engage in business and economic activities. By feeding, clothing, and providing for entire families, increased earning power and income battle existing and future poverty.

It is undeniable that the relevance of female education is a significant problem. There is no gender equality; it is only for boys and girls to think as a group. Boys and girls should be equally prepared when it comes to national growth and development. How can we imagine a future world full of technology, creativity, beauty, and development in every sector while keeping one of our four productive populations in a four-walled boundary that we call home?

The majority of people in India, as we all know, live in rural areas. This community, though, has evolved through time. Public perceptions of freedom were not any more conservative. Many families have relocated their girls to states with greater resources. They study theatre, dancing, art, music, sculpture, science, history, journalism, and medicine, among other subjects.

Girls, like any other boy who is focused on reaching their objectives, go out and give it their all, whether it’s in education or athletics. They achieve because of their hard work and dedication.

The only thing that stands in the way of anyone achieving it is that it is impossible to attain. Girls, on the other hand, require a lot of familial support in addition to their desire. They require a family that understands them, and their family, like any other male counterpart, must grow. His parents are in charge of a lot of obligations.

Children are like buds; if you give them enough water and enough sunlight at the right time, they will blossom into healthy blossoming flowers. When I say that, I’m referring to children of either gender. We can solve all of our issues if we can shift our girls’ how attitudes about education and the importance of their country’s growth.

Women’s empowerment is an important element of every community, state, or nation. In a child’s basic life, it is a woman who performs a prominent role. Women have a significant role in our culture. Women’s empowerment via education might result in a good attitude change. As a result, it is critical for India’s socio-economic and political development. The Indian Constitution gives the government the authority to take affirmative action to promote women’s empowerment. Education has a huge impact on the lives of women.

Women’s empowerment is a global problem, and many formal and informal movements throughout the world focus on women’s political rights. Women’s empowerment begins with education, which helps them to adapt to difficulties, face their traditional roles, and alter their lives. As a result, we must not overlook the value of education in terms of women’s empowerment. In light of recent advancements in women’s education, India is seen as the world’s emerging superpower.

Women’s empowerment, according to the United National Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), involves:

• Gaining knowledge and awareness of gender relations, as well as the ways in which they may be changed.
• Gaining a sense of self-worth, faith in one’s ability to effect desired changes, and the ability to direct one’s own life.
• Having the ability to make decisions that give you negotiating power.
• Improving one’s abilities to organize and influence social change to achieve a more just social and economic order on a national and worldwide scale.

As a result, empowerment is defined as a psychological sense of personal control or influence, as well as a concern for actual social power, political authority, and legal rights. Individuals, organizations, and communities are all included in this multi-level architecture.

Below, we have listed some of the famous quotes by some of the most popular personalities in the world:

“There is no greater pillar of stability than a strong, free, and educated woman.” ~Angelina Jolie

“If we are going to see real development in the world then our best investment is WOMEN!” ~Desmond Tutu

“As a tribute to the legions of women who navigated the path of fighting for justice before us, we ought to imprint in the supreme law of the land, firm principles upholding the rights of women.” ~Nelson Mandela

“We should be respectful but we must also have the courage to stop harmful practices that impoverish girls, women and their communities.” ~ Graca Machel

“When women are educated, their countries become stronger and more prosperous.” ~Michelle Obama

“Young women who want an education will not be stopped.” ~ Freida Pinto

“Women share this planet 50/50 and they are underrepresented – their potential astonishingly untapped.” ~Emma Watson

“To educate girls is to reduce poverty.” ~ Kofi Annan

“The seeds of success in every nation on Earth are best planted in women and children.” ~Joyce Band

Education has been linked to fewer child and maternal deaths, better child health, and decreased fertility in various research. Women with some formal education are more likely than uneducated women to use contraception, marry later, have fewer children, and be more knowledgeable of their children’s nutritional and other needs.

• Feedback: Girls’ education assists women in limiting the number of children they have. Over time, increasing girls’ school attendance lowers fertility rates.
• Mental Health: Increased access to education for women improves maternal health. An additional year of education for 1,000 women is known to help avoid two maternal deaths. 
• Child Survival: Increasing the educational opportunities for girls has a beneficial impact on infant and child health. A child born to an educated mother has a 50% higher chance of living through the age of five than a child born to an illiterate mother.
• HIV/AIDS: A girl’s or woman’s chance of getting HIV or passing HIV to her baby is decreased by education.Women in 32 countries who continued their education after elementary school was five times more likely than illiterate women to know basic HIV facts.
• Income Potential: Women’s earning potential is enhanced by education. A single year of primary school has been proven to improve women’s earnings by 10% to 20% later in life, whereas female secondary education returns range between 15% and 25%.

The following are the welfare schemes initiated to promote women education:

Mahila Samakhya Programme : The New Education Policy of 1968 led to the establishment of the Mahila Samakhya Programme in 1988, which aimed to empower rural women from low-income families.

The Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya Scheme (KGBV) provides basic education to girls. It mostly serves rural regions with poor female literacy.

Girls who are not encouraged via SSA are covered under the National Programme for Education of Girls at the Elementary Level (NPEGEL) .

The Saakshar Bharat Mission for Female Literacy was established to reduce female illiteracy.

Women’s education is critical to the country’s entire development. It’s similar to an effective medicine that may know how to cure a patient and recover their health. A well-educated lady is capable of managing both her personal and professional lives. The physical and intellectual growth of the child is the moral goal of education. Education’s true objective is to provide students with “full knowledge” or “greater information.”

The overall literacy rate in India is 74.04% with Kerala with highest literacy rate while Bihar with the lowest literacy rate.

There are various powerful mediums available for Indians to raise awareness, the most primary place it begins is at home where girls should be encouraged to go to school and follow their talents. Powerful mediums like social media, government volunteers, advertisements, politicians can attribute to raising awareness.

In this blog, we saw the importance of women’s education. Many concerns must be solved, including infrastructure, teacher-to-student ratios, female child safety at school, an improved curriculum, and sanitary facilities, for more girls to be educated. Furthermore, parents must recognize the value of education and must not discriminate between their male and female children. Stay connected with Leverage Edu for educational content!

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Girls' education, gender equality in education benefits every child..

• Girls' education
• Available in:

Investing in girls’ education transforms communities, countries and the entire world. Girls who receive an education are less likely to marry young and more likely to lead healthy, productive lives. They earn higher incomes, participate in the decisions that most affect them, and build better futures for themselves and their families.

Girls’ education strengthens economies and reduces inequality. It contributes to more stable, resilient societies that give all individuals – including boys and men – the opportunity to fulfil their potential.

But education for girls is about more than access to school. It’s also about girls feeling safe in classrooms and supported in the subjects and careers they choose to pursue – including those in which they are often under-represented.

When we invest in girls’ secondary education

• The lifetime earnings of girls dramatically increase
• National growth rates rise
• Child marriage rates decline
• Child mortality rates fall
• Maternal mortality rates fall
• Child stunting drops

Why are girls out of school?

Despite evidence demonstrating how central girls’ education is to development, gender disparities in education persist.

Around the world, 129 million girls are out of school, including 32 million of primary school age, 30 million of lower-secondary school age, and 67 million of upper-secondary school age. In countries affected by conflict, girls are more than twice as likely to be out of school than girls living in non-affected countries.

Worldwide, 129 million girls are out of school.

Only 49 per cent of countries have achieved gender parity in primary education. At the secondary level, the gap widens: 42 per cent of countries have achieved gender parity in lower secondary education, and 24 per cent in upper secondary education.

The reasons are many. Barriers to girls’ education – like poverty, child marriage and gender-based violence – vary among countries and communities. Poor families often favour boys when investing in education.

In some places, schools do not meet the safety, hygiene or sanitation needs of girls. In others, teaching practices are not gender-responsive and result in gender gaps in learning and skills development.

Gender equality in education

Gender-equitable education systems empower girls and boys and promote the development of life skills – like self-management, communication, negotiation and critical thinking – that young people need to succeed. They close skills gaps that perpetuate pay gaps, and build prosperity for entire countries.

Gender-equitable education systems can contribute to reductions in school-related gender-based violence and harmful practices, including child marriage and female genital mutilation .

Gender-equitable education systems help keep both girls and boys in school, building prosperity for entire countries.

An education free of negative gender norms has direct benefits for boys, too. In many countries, norms around masculinity can fuel disengagement from school, child labour, gang violence and recruitment into armed groups. The need or desire to earn an income also causes boys to drop out of secondary school, as many of them believe the curriculum is not relevant to work opportunities.

UNICEF’s work to promote girls’ education

UNICEF works with communities, Governments and partners to remove barriers to girls’ education and promote gender equality in education – even in the most challenging settings.

Because investing in girls’ secondary education is one of the most transformative development strategies, we prioritize efforts that enable all girls to complete secondary education and develop the knowledge and skills they need for life and work.

This will only be achieved when the most disadvantaged girls are supported to enter and complete pre-primary and primary education. Our work:

• Tackles discriminatory gender norms and harmful practices that deny girls access to school and quality learning.
• Supports Governments to ensure that budgets are gender-responsive and that national education plans and policies prioritize gender equality.
• Helps schools and Governments use assessment data to eliminate gender gaps in learning.
• Promotes social protection measures, including cash transfers, to improve girls’ transition to and retention in secondary school.
• Focuses teacher training and professional development on gender-responsive pedagogies.
• Removes gender stereotypes from learning materials.
• Addresses other obstacles, like distance-related barriers to education, re-entry policies for young mothers, and menstrual hygiene management in schools.

More from UNICEF

1 in 3 adolescent girls from the poorest households has never been to school

Let’s shape tech to be transformative

Gender-responsive digital pedagogies: A guide for educators

Stories of suffering and hope: Afghanistan and Pakistan

Catherine Russell reflects on her first field visit as UNICEF's Executive Director

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School closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic risk reversing the massive gains to girls’ education

Advancing Girls' Education and Gender Equality through Digital Learning

This brief note highlights how UNICEF will advance inclusive and transformative digital technology to enhance girls’ learning and skills development for work and life.

Reimagining Girls' Education: Solutions to Keep Girls Learning in Emergencies

This resource presents an empirical overview of what works to support learning outcomes for girls in emergencies.

e-Toolkit on Gender Equality in Education

This course aims to strengthen the capacity of UNICEF's education staff globally in gender equality applied to education programming.

Fixing the Broken Promise of Education for All

This report draws on national studies to examine why millions of children continue to be denied the fundamental right to primary education.

GirlForce: Skills, Education and Training for Girls Now

This report discusses persistent barriers girls face in the transition from education to the workforce, and how gender gaps in employment outcomes persist despite girls’ gains in education.

UNICEF Gender Action Plan (2022-2025)

This plan specifies how UNICEF will promote gender equality across the organization’s work, in alignment with the UNICEF Strategic Plan.

Global Partnership for Education

This partnership site provides data and programming results for the only global fund solely dedicated to education in developing countries.

United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative

UNGEI promotes girls’ education and gender equality through policy advocacy and support to Governments and other development actors.

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Remarks By The First Lady At Let Girls Learn Event Celebrating International Women’s Day

Union Market Washington, D.C.

12:18 P.M. EST

MRS. OBAMA:  Wow!  (Applause.)  Thank you so much.  Hey.  You guys good?  All right, rest yourselves.  We’ve got a lot to do.  

Hi, everyone.  It is a pleasure to be here with all of you on this International Women’s Day as we mark the first anniversary of Let Girls Learn.  And today, we want to celebrate all of the wonderful progress we’ve made and the momentum we’re seeing around girls’ education across the globe.

But before we get started, I just wanted to briefly express my sadness over the passing of former First Lady Nancy Reagan.  Mrs. Reagan was a woman of incredible strength and grace, and she was a passionate advocate for so many important issues.  Through the example she set, both during her time in the White House and beyond, Mrs. Reagan reminded us of the importance of women’s leadership at every level of our society.

And on a personal note, Mrs. Reagan also understood the value of mentoring.  She warmly and willingly offered advice and encouragement to me as I settled into my role as First Lady.  And I am so grateful for her kindness and generosity to me and my family over the years, and I hope that our continued work to educate girls worldwide is a fitting tribute to her legacy.  (Applause.)  

So back to the business at hand.  I have to start by thanking Ambassador Power –- another strong woman leader, as you heard -- for that wonderful, kind, generous introduction, but more importantly, for her extraordinary work to promote human dignity, human rights across the globe.  We are lucky to have someone like her in this administration, and the President and I are very lucky to have her as a friend.  (Applause.)      I also want to recognize our outstanding Ambassador for Global Women’s Issues, Cathy Russell, and her -- yes -- (applause) -- and her entire team at the State Department for hosting this event and for their tremendous work on girls’ education and so many other critical issues.  I’m thankful to have them as partners in this effort.

But most of all, I want to thank all of you for your tremendous leadership on behalf of girls around the world.  Some of you have been with us since the day we launched Let Girls Learn, some of you have been working on girls’ education for decades, and some of you are students who will be leading the way on this issue in years to come.  And I’m so proud that you all are here.  Give yourselves a round of applause.  Our young people!  (Applause.)  

And I know that each of us here today has a story like Samantha shared about how we first got engaged in this issue –- the moment our heart first broke or we felt that first flare of outrage when we realized that 62 million girls worldwide –- girls who are just as smart and hard-working as we are -– aren’t getting the opportunities that we sometimes take for granted.  

For me, it was the drumbeat of horrifying stories:  Malala Yousafzai shot in the head by terrorists just for speaking the simple truth that girls should to go school.  More than 200 Nigerian girls kidnapped from their school dormitory by a terrorist group determined to keep them from getting an education –- grown men trying to snuff out the aspirations of young girls.  Little girls being brutally assaulted on their way to school, being forced to marry and bear children when they’re barely even teenagers.  Girls in every corner of the globe facing grave danger simply because they were full and equal human beings -- that’s what they decided -- worthy of developing their boundless potential.  

And the more I traveled and met with girls and learned from experts about this issue, the more I realized that the barriers to girls’ education isn’t just resources.  It’s not just about access to scholarships or transportation or school bathrooms.  It’s also about attitudes and beliefs -– the belief that girls simply aren’t worthy of an education; that women should have no role outside the home; that their bodies aren’t their own, their minds don’t really matter, and their voices simply shouldn’t be heard.

And like many of you, as a woman, I take all of this personally.  While I’m thankful that I’ve never faced anything like the horrors that many of these girls endure, like most women, I know how it feels to be overlooked, to be underestimated, to have someone only half listen to your ideas at a meeting -- to see them turn to the man next to you, the man you supervise, and assume he’s in charge -- or to experience those whistles and taunts as you walk down the street.

And I’ve seen how these issues play out not just on a personal level, but on a national level in our laws and policies. You see, in my lifetime -– and I’m not that old -– it was perfectly legal for employers to discriminate against women.  In my lifetime, women were not legally allowed to make fundamental decisions about their bodies –- and practically speaking, many still can’t.  In my lifetime, domestic violence was seen as a private matter between a man and his wife rather than as the horrific crime that it is.  

And today, it is so easy to take for granted all the progress we’ve made on these kinds of issues.  But the fact is that right now, today, so many of these rights are under threat from all sides, always at risk of being rolled back if we let our guard down for a single minute.  

These issues aren’t settled.  These freedoms that we take for granted aren’t guaranteed in stone.  And they certainly didn’t just come down to us as a gift from the heavens.  No, these rights were secured through long, hard battles waged by women and men who marched, and protested, and made their voices heard in courtrooms and boardrooms and voting booths and the halls of Congress.

And make no mistake about it, education was central to every last one of those efforts.  The ability to read, write, and analyze; the confidence to stand up and demand justice and equality; the qualifications and connections to get your foot in that door and take your seat at that table -- all of that starts with education.  And trust me, girls around the world, they understand this.  They feel it in their bones, and they will do whatever it takes to get that education.  

I’ve seen it time and time again –- girls in Senegal studying at rickety desks in bare concrete classrooms raising their hands so hard they’re almost falling out of their chairs.  Girls in Cambodia who wake up hours before dawn, ride their bikes for miles just to get to school.  Bangladeshi immigrant girls in the United Kingdom who study for hours every night and proudly wear their head scarves everywhere they go, resolutely ignoring those who would demean their religion.  

These girls risk everything -– the rejection of their communities, the violation of their bodies -– everything, just to go to school each day.  And then here I show up with a hoard of international reporters shoving microphones in their faces -- these girls don’t blink.  They stand up.  They look straight into those cameras and they proudly explain who they want to be –- doctors and teachers, forces for change in their countries.

You see, they know that education is their only path to self-sufficiency.  It is their only chance to shape their own fate rather than having the limits of their lives dictated to them by others.  And I’m passionate about this because I truly see myself in these girls -– in their hunger, in their burning determination to rise above their circumstances and reach for something more.  And I know that many of you do, too.

And let’s be clear, this issue isn’t just personal to women.  I have met countless men who learn about the plight of girls around the world, and they look into the eyes of their daughters and wives and mothers -– women they deeply respect and love -– and this issue becomes personal for them, too.  So it’s not surprising that over the past year since we launched Let Girls Learn, we have been overwhelmed by the response we’ve received.  

This issue is truly resonating as folks in every sector are stepping up to take action on behalf of these girls around the world.  From day one, the U.S. government has been leading the way with State, USAID, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, investing hundreds of millions of dollars.  They’re providing scholarships for girls in Liberia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.  They’re doing leadership training for girls in Afghanistan.  They’re building school bathrooms for girls in El Salvador.  They’re taking on female genital mutilation in Guinea, forced child marriage in Bangladesh.  

Let Girls Learn also has a strong partner in the American Peace Corps.  Volunteers are now running more than 100 girls’ education projects in 22 countries -– girls’ mentorship programs, girls’ leadership camps, and so much more.  

And through Let Girls Learn, dozens of major companies and organizations have come forward to support this work, including Lyft, Jet Blue, Proctor & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, Starwood Hotels -- I could go on and on -- Alex and Ani.  I’ve got my bracelets on.  (Laughter.)  They’re donating hundreds of thousands of dollars.  They’re creating new products –- backpacks and charm bracelets and T-Shirts -– to raise money and awareness.  They’re promoting Let Girls Learn in their advertisements, their in-flight magazines, their hotel room videos.  They’re doing it all.  The Girl Scouts are getting in on the action as well by creating a Global Action badge that girls can earn by learning about girls’ education.  

And it’s not just corporations and organizations who are getting engaged on this issue.  Folks of all ages and all walks of life are stepping up, as well.  More than 1,600 people in nearly all 50 states have donated money to Let Girls Learn Peace Corps projects.  Our #62MillionGirls hashtag was the number-one hashtag in the U.S., with people across the country talking about the power of education.  And we’ll be launching the next phase of this social media campaign next week at South by Southwest.

And we haven’t just inspired folks here in the United States.  Our hashtag was the number-three hashtag globally, with girls around the world tweeting their support for Let Girls Learn.  And countries like Japan, the UK, South Korea have joined this effort as well, investing more than half a billion dollars in girls’ education.  And at this year’s U.N. General Assembly, nearly 200 countries agreed to make adolescent girls’ education a top priority in the new Global Goals.  

And today, just 12 months after we launched Let Girls Learn, we’re seeing the impact of these efforts all around the world.  We see it in the story of a girl named Fiker from Ethiopia who, at the age of 13, found out that her parents were planning to marry her off to a man she’d never met.  But Fiker had learned about the dangers of early marriage from a USAID program she was involved in, so she refused to go through with the marriage.  She went on to graduate first in her entire sixth-grade class.

We see the impact of our work in the story of a young woman named Nourhan in Egypt.  When Nourhan got accepted to a girls’ science and technology boarding school supported by USAID, of course she was hesitant to leave home.  But she took the plunge, and today, she’s an avid coder.  And when speaking about her plans for the future, she says, “I dream of being the youngest Nobel Prize winner for Nuclear Physics.”

And we’re seeing the impact of our efforts not just on girls worldwide, but on young people right here at home.  Kids across the U.S. are learning about these girls and they’re embracing this issue as their own.  Students at a middle school in California raised $1,500 for Let Girls Learn by selling popsicles and hot chocolate.  At a school in Wisconsin, students raised $594 from their friends and families.  As part of their campaign, they created signs to raise awareness, and one of these signs said that “33 million fewer girls than boys are in primary school worldwide.”  They said, “We’re in this together.  Together we [can] make a difference.”  

See, even young kids get it.  We’re in this together.  Because these girls are our girls.  They are us.  They each have the spark of something extraordinary inside of them just like our daughters –- and our sons -– and their fate is very much our responsibility.  

And in the coming months, we’re going to be expanding our call to action to support these girls.  We are going to be engaging even more people -– moms and dads, faith and youth organizations, and young people like so many of you.  Because there is so much that students like you can do to make a real difference on girls’ education.

You can study this issue and organize your classmates to take action.  You can study or volunteer abroad and be on the front lines educating girls.  After you graduate from college, you can even join the Peace Corps and run your own girls’ education project.  Or if you get out there and get a job, like your parents may want you to -- (laughter) -- you can get your company involved in Let Girls Learn.  That’s how Lyft got involved, from one of our fellow young people who worked in this administration and now works at Lyft.  That kind of commitment that companies are announcing today, you can be a part of making it happen.

Every single one of us has a role to play on this issue.  And you can start today by going to LetGirlsLearn.gov and find out how to get involved right now.  No contribution is too small, as you can see, because in the end, that’s how we’re going to solve this problem –- one girl, one school, one village at a time, with folks like all of you -- particularly our young people -- leading the way.

And no, it will not be easy.  And it will not be quick.  But make no mistake about it, we can do this.  If we can make this kind of project -- progress in just a year -- in just a year -- if we keep putting in this effort and this investment that these girls deserve, we can get this done.  I know we are all up to the task.  I know we are.  I see it in your eyes.  I know you feel that burning sensation, that sense of unfairness.  Turn that into action.  Turn that passion into something real.  Those girls will be so grateful, because they are all of us.  They are my daughters, and they are you.

So I want to close by thanking all of you once again for everything you have done in this year, and everything we will continue to do together.  And I do look forward to continuing our work together in the months and years to come.  And I cannot wait to see all the doors we will open, all the fortunes we -- and futures we transform for girls across the globe.

So you guys ready to get to work?  (Applause.)  You think we can get this done?  (Applause.)  All right.  Thank you all so much.  God bless.  (Applause.) 

END  12:37 P.M.

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Importance Of Women's Education Essay

Women's education is a fundamental human right and an important tool for creating a more just and equitable society. Here are a few sample essays on ‘importance of women’s education’.

100 Words Essay On Importance Of Women's Education

Women's education is essential for the development and progress of any society. Educated women have the potential to become strong leaders, role models, and agents of change in their communities. They are more likely to participate in the workforce, earn higher wages, and provide for themselves and their families.

Education also empowers women to make informed decisions about their health, rights, and overall well-being. Investing in women's education is also a key strategy for reducing poverty and promoting gender equality. Educated women are more likely to educate their children, breaking the cycle of poverty and creating a brighter future for the next generation.

200 Words Essay On Importance Of Women's Education

Women's education is crucial for the development and progress of any society. Education is a fundamental human right and women have the same right to education as men. Educated women have the potential to become strong leaders, role models, and agents of change in their communities. They are more likely to participate in the workforce, earn higher wages, and provide for themselves and their families.

I remember reading a story about a woman named Rupa, who grew up in a small village in India. Despite facing numerous obstacles, she was determined to get an education. With the help of a local NGO, she was able to attend school and later went on to college. Today, she is a successful businesswoman and a role model for other women in her village. She is using her education and success to give back to her community by providing education and job opportunities for other women.

Education also empowers women to make informed decisions about their health, rights, and overall well-being. Educated women are more likely to understand the importance of healthcare and will take better care of themselves and their families. They also have a better understanding of their rights and will be more likely to speak out against discrimination and violence.

500 Words Essay On Importance Of Women's Education

Women's education is essential for the development and progress of any society. Education is a fundamental human right , and women have the same right to education as men.

Empowerment and Economic Development

Women's economic empowerment entails their ability to engage equally in current markets, access to and control over productive resources, access to good employment, control over their own time, lives, and bodies, as well as a greater voice, agency, and meaningful participation in economic decision-making at all levels, from the family to international organisations. Women's economic empowerment improves income equality, diversity of the economy, productivity, and other good development results.

Health and Well-being

Education also empowers women to make informed decisions about their health, rights, and overall well-being. Educated women are more likely to understand the importance of healthcare and will take better care of themselves and their families. They also have a better understanding of their rights and will be more likely to speak out against discrimination and violence. Women's economic empowerment improves income equality, diversity of the economy, productivity, and other good development results. The health and wellness of women and girls, as well as their chances for earning an income and participating in the formal labour market, depend on education, upskilling, and reskilling throughout their lives—especially to keep up with the rapid technological and digital revolutions affecting jobs.

Breaking the cycle of poverty

Investing in women's education is also a key strategy for reducing poverty and promoting gender equality. Educated women are more likely to educate their children, breaking the cycle of poverty and creating a brighter future for the next generation. Studies have also shown that countries with more educated women have more stable and prosperous economies.

Life Story of Savitribai Phule

Savitribai Phule is a remarkable woman who must be mentioned in every essay about women's education. She was the first female teacher in India. It is crucial to realise that in earlier times, particularly in India, women had minimal access to education. Savitribai Phule overcame obstacles like the caste system and male supremacy. Any woman taking the initiative and standing up for a cause at that time was unthinkable and impossible. Savitribai Phule, on the other hand, dismantled all the barriers and fought for women's education in India. She did it by deed rather than speech. She transformed into a live example.

Savitri Phule and her family became a real example of dispelling many stereotypes thanks to her husband's support and relentless work to advance fair education for all. Her success was a model for other Indian girls who wanted to pursue education. They also established the "Native Library" and a school for girls. The goal was to connect with as many youngsters as possible nationwide.

One person was able to carry the light for countless others. Additionally, they assumed care for a widow's son and set up an intercaste union for him. This wickedness still rules society today. Savtribai Phule provided many people at the time with a heroic, impossibly high example. The Savitribai Phule University in Pune was established in her honour today. This university upholds the tradition of comprehensive education. The country applauds Savitribai Phule for her outstanding contributions to education and social transformation.

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• Speech on Girl Education

Speech on Girl Education in English for Students

Women have suffered the worst of the ongoing male patriarchy for ages. Women have always been the suppressed ones and the males have always been the oppressor ones. To remove this stigma of the society the theory of “EQUALITY” should be promoted. 

Girls have been denied many opportunities to move ahead and all those missed chances from which they can make something of themselves in their life. But due to lack of education women could not get equal to men. 

Education was always off-limits for girls and still continues to be in many rural areas and other parts of the world. 

In this article, we will explore ways of presenting a speech on girls education speech. It can be a long speech on girl child education or a short speech on girl child education. 

Long Speech on Girls Education

This is a five-minute speech on girls' education and will be very useful for Grade 8 to 12 learners who can explain in more detail its importance using clear language.

Hello everyone, esteemed principal, teachers, and my dear friends! I am lucky to have this opportunity to talk about a topic that is close to my heart, the education of a girl child. Education has become a commodity in the community that can only be achieved by the lucky. 

Education contributes greatly to the betterment of society. As an educated person can make educated decisions that will benefit all. Yet half of the people who unite society, Are girls deprived of education.

It was believed that the girls should be ordained for marriage and later take care of the family. For so many years the monarchy prevented women from having their own personalities. Even in rural areas of our country, the practice of banning girls' education is still widespread. 

People do not realize that an illiterate mother and daughter are just a line in the family and in the community. An educated woman has a lot of knowledge about good health care and the ability to care for her children better. At the same time raising educated children.

When a girl child is educated, almost half the population is literate, thus reducing the illiteracy that seems to be rampant in our country. When these educated women create jobs it also contributes to the growth of the social economy and reduces child marriage cases. 

Being financially independent, they can take better care of their families and end poverty. Families will no longer view the birth of a baby girl as a burden that reduces infant mortality.

​​Education helps us to grow and develop ourselves through personal growth and skills. It is one of the basic rights of all people to equal access to education and education in all its forms. Men and women are equally important in this society; none of them should be overlooked for the betterment of the world.

However, we still face issues such as inequality, gender-based decisions when it comes to women's education. However, few people in our community think that girls are born to do only the housework.

If we want to see India grow and prosper, we need to educate our baby girls. They are indeed the future of our nation. Moreover, once they are educated, they will not need to rely on others for their livelihood. 

In addition, educated women can better care for their children. Although literacy rates have skyrocketed since 1947, we still have much room for improvement.

Child marriage is highly regulated, the booking of women by the state and non-governmental organizations is an important step. “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao” is one of our government programs that only work in this way.

We must all be open and support girls' education as educated women will be a better asset not only for our country but also for our family.

It's time to educate every woman. And this can be done by promoting workshops for parents and communities that explain the benefits of education. UNICEF (International Children's Fund) Campaign for many issues like this and we should do our part to support it, by donating to organizations that mean that.

A Short Talk on Girl Child Education

How to talk about girls' education can be helpful for Grade 4 to 7 learners who can summarize key points in a short amount of time.

Hello everyone, esteemed principal, teachers, and my dear friends! I ABC (Say your name) Here I will talk about the topic of education for a girl child. Previously, it was believed that girls were only required to take on the role of mothers.

That is why they are seen as a burden that needs to be lifted. And as a result, they were denied the basic right to education. The troubled belief continues to be part of many families in rural areas.

Campaigns to educate girls need support from both men and women. Especially men, because they are in the decision-making positions. It is time for people to realize that if girls are educated, it will benefit their families, communities, and our nation.

Poverty, illiteracy, child mortality, maternal childbirth, and child marriage will be reduced. There will be an increase in socio-economic equality, educated generations, and women in all spheres will be the only problem for the world.

Being an educated woman is important, and also becoming a woman of free will. These women do not fall into the trap of social oppression and are naturally independent. They provide themselves with protective clothing for themselves and others around them. As a woman grows, her nation grows.

Therefore, such organizations that promote girls' education may be supported and supported by everyone, especially the government. All we can do is donate current points near us to further our education.

10 Lines Speech on Girls Education

This is a 10 line speech on girls' education and will be very useful for Grade 1 to 3. 

Hello everyone, esteemed principal, teachers, and my dear friends! I am lucky to have this opportunity to talk about a topic that is close to my heart, the education of a girl child.

Every Girl deserves equal opportunities as boys in terms of education, jobs, living standards and respect for society.

According to my opinion, education is the primary thing that every child deserves whether a boy or a girl education is primary because in this modern world each and everyone is recognised by the degrees they have in their pocket. 

Girls education helps in the betterment of society as education will help to learn etiquettes, ethics and manners which will directly help in creating a better environment. 

By attaining education, girls will be able to understand what's right and wrong plus they will also know some measures to protect themselves in any type of situation. 

Girls' education will make them more independent and financially strong and less dependent on their family or husband. 

Girl Education will help them to understand the importance of hygiene 

Girls education will help to break the stereotypes of the society of child marriage, dowry incidents etc. 

Education will empower women and will help them to fight indiscrimination. 

By attending education, girls can also support their families and can remove the tag of baggage from their heads. 

 In short, Girls education is important for a better future.

When a girl child is educated, nearly half the population is educated, thus reducing illiteracy that seems to be quite high in our country. When these educated women build careers it also adds to the socio-economic growth and decreases the cases of child marriages. As they become financially independent, they can take better care of their families eradicating poverty.

Speech on Girl’s Education for Students and Children

3 minutes speech on girl’s education.

A very warm welcome to all the teachers and students present in the auditorium. I am here to deliver a speech on girl’s education. Education is very necessary for every child whether boy or girl. It helps a person study new things with skill and learn about the facts of the world. Education plays an important role in the protection of women’s rights. It also helps to prevent discrimination based on gender. Education increases productivity in their work. An educated woman has skills, information, talent and self-confidence that make her a better mother, employee, and resident of the country. Women constitute almost half of our population. Men and women are like two aspects of a coin.  Thus, they need equal opportunities to contribute to the development of the country. Both cannot survive without each other.

Source: en.wikipedia.org

It is depressing that some communities still differentiate against the education of the girl child. Education is the key factor for girl’s empowerment, prosperity, development, and welfare. There are continuous inequality and liability of girls in all sectors economic, education, social, political, health care, nutrition, right and legal, etc.

The rise of girl’s education was mainly done by king Ram Mohan Roy and Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar during British rule in India. He paid attention to the education of women. Some leaders of the scheduled caste community like Jyotiba Phule and Babasaheb Ambedkar had initiated many initiatives to provide education to the women of India.

At the same time, as a result, the female literacy rate has increased since 1947. Many factors are responsible for less education of women in the society like poverty, distance, insecurity, negative behaviors, child marriage, child labor, religious factors, etc.

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In developing countries, poverty is one of the major problems. Though education is free, the cost of sending children to school is very high. It includes school uniforms, books, etc which is very high for families living below the poverty line. Even if they cannot afford a daily meal, educational expenditure is very distant. This is the reason parents like to keep their daughters at home.

Child  M arriage

In Indian society, cases of child marriage are still present. A girl is forced to marry early and is often taken out of school at a very young age. People generally think that girls learn only domestic tasks. His contribution to household chores is more valuable than his education.

In this way, they give all the time to the family and no time to educate themself. But the educated wife will reduce the burden of her husband’s by sharing a job. The educated wife will educate her children about their rights and moral values.

I would like to conclude by saying that parents need to educate the girls about the qualities and benefits of education. Girl’s education is essential for the future of the country because women are the first teachers of their children.

Uneducated women cannot contribute to family management and fail to take care of children. This is not only the responsibility of the government but also the responsibility of the people around us.

The best part is that our prime minister has made a very goods initiative for the education of girls through the ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ campaign in the villages. For the development of our country, we need to educate all the girls. Because it is a fact that girls have achieved more success than boys in less time.

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Top 4 Speech On Women’s Empowerment [1-5 Min]

Women empowerment is the process to empower women with their assigned rights and proper place in society. As a part of God’s creation, women have the similar right to live their life freely as anyone on the planet.

What to discuss in the speech on Women’s Empowerment?

Before presenting a speech on women’s empowerment, we need to understand some very essential points related to women and their empowerment. So, What are the points to be covered in the speech? Here is a list of points to keep in mind:

• What is women’s empowerment? (Definition)
• What are women deprived of? (Women’s Rights)
• The present scenario in the Country & World. (Statistics)
• Why is women’s empowerment needed? (Strong Reasons)
• How do we empower women? (Powerful Ways)
• What are the advantages of Women’s Empowerment? (Reasonable Effects)

1 Minute Speech Example

Good Morning to all the people present here. I am here today to deliver a speech on women’s empowerment. Let me start this speech by thanking you all.

Men and women hold equal weight to maintain a society. Both are supplementary to each other but women are deprived of some rights like education, decision-making, doing a job or business etc.

Furthermore, in countries like India, Women are victims of domestic violence and abusive marriages. Most noteworthy, people prefer a son to a daughter. This discrimination against women is very pathetic & needs to be removed as soon as possible.

In some developed countries, women and girls are self-dependent and they can make their own decisions and also can take their own responsibility. Hence, they contribute to the prosperity of the nation too.

Everyone has a different strength. understanding this concept, we should include them in every opportunity so that they can give their best for the community, society, and country.

Thank you again for having me a chance to share my thought on women’s empowerment.

2 Minute Speech Example

Hello, all of you present here.

First of all, I want to wish you all the best wishes for the day and also want to thank you for having me this great opportunity to share my thoughts on a very sensitive topic- “women empowerment”.

So, Imagine the electricity having only a positive charge or only a negative. Could it be possible? The short answer is No. It means both the charge together is only useful or they are equally important. The same goes for human society, Men and women are equally significant. Remove one of these from society, where is society?

Unfortunately, Women get little or no appreciation despite being talented. In male-dominated societies, women are treated as non-existent. They are deprived of some rights like education, decision-making, doing a job or business etc.

If we look at history, we will notice that women have set an example in different fields. But if we observe present conditions, we will discover that women have several limitations on them. Women empowerment is the process of retrieving their proper rights and giving them their proper place and recognition in the society.

In countries like India, Women are victims of domestic violence and abusive marriage. This discrimination against women is very pathetic & needs to be removed as soon as possible. Most noteworthy, people prefer a son to a daughter.

In some developed countries, women and girls are self-dependent and they can make their own decisions and also can take their own responsibility. And they contribute to the prosperity of the nation too.

3 Minute Speech On Women’s Empowerment

As a part of God’s creation, women must get the same rights to live their life freely as anyone on the planet. But since ancient times they are being maltreated and deprived of their rights.

Women empowerment is the process of retrieving their true rights and giving them their proper place and recognition in society.

The very primary problem that women have to face is Gender inequality . In some countries, men and women are treated equally. But still, there are a lot of countries where women are treated uniquely than men. Despite a lot of efforts, our country falls into the second bucket.

Domestic violence and discrimination against women is the second main problem. In rural areas, women are still being abused and beaten by their husbands. Men treat them like their property. Women have usually less access to education, employment, ownership, and many other things. Moreover, They are not allowed to pursue a professional life.

If we talk about the advantages of women’s empowerment, Empowered women are a success key for a family, a society, and also for a country. Educated women can shape their family’s future by giving the right guidance to their children.

Women have the right to vote according to their understanding. So ultimately they can also shape our country’s political structure. They are not intellectually unfit. They also can make healthy decisions like men.

We should take part in supporting women and girls in our society. We can enable them for almost every field that she is prevented from. Women’s education should be made compulsory so that women can become illiterate enough to live their life to full.

There is a lot to say but time is a limited resource & we should respect it. At last, I want to thank you all again for having me this valuable opportunity.

5 Minute Speech On Women’s Empowerment

Good Morning to all the people present here. Special regards to the principal, teachers & friends. I am here today to deliver a speech on women’s empowerment. Let me start this speech by thanking you all for honouring me with this valuable opportunity.

Someone has correctly said, “A woman is like a tea bag—you can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water.” We should include them in every opportunity so that they can give their best for the community, society, and country.

If we look at history, we will notice that women have set an example in different fields. But if we observe present conditions, we will discover that women have several limitations on them. Women empowerment is the process of retrieving their true rights and giving them their proper place and recognition in society.

This is unfortunate that women get little or no appreciation despite being talented. In male-dominated societies, women are treated as non-existent. They are still not allowed to pursue higher education and professional life. They can’t contribute to decision-making for their family.

As human beings, they also hold a similar weight as men. So it is a wake-up call for us to empower women. They should not be maltreated anymore. Women’s empowerment is like a ray of hope for women to bring them to the place to which they are entitled. It will strengthen their willpower.

In our country, women’s empowerment is an issue of conversation only. In other countries, women and girls are self-dependent and they can make their own decisions and also can take responsibility. And this is a reason for those countries to fall into the bucket of developed ones.

Women can contribute to assisting the country as they are the ones who understand the meaning of responsibility. They perform well in almost every aspect of life. Our country is among those which are less secure for females. There is a need for women’s empowerment so that they can take a stand for their rights.

There are a lot of methods to empower women. We should take part in encouraging women and girls in our society. We can allow them for almost every field that she is prevented from. Women’s education should be made necessary so that women can become literate enough to live their life to full.

Child marriage must be prevented and a huge punishment should be inflicted if someone is found involved in it. The government should spread awareness about this among people and encourage them to behave well with their daughters. Girls and women must get provided with free training on how to defend themselves and face problems boldly.

In final words, I want to say that women’s empowerment is a required demand for a better future for the country and to portray the best picture. We don’t have to do much but bring back their proper place. Having a lot of initiatives, our country is still lacking behind in women’s empowerment. We all can make it possible by taking part in encouraging and supporting our girls and women.

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Here’s the commencement speech women deserve.

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No one is this excited to load the dishwasher

Commencement speeches are meant to inspire young folks concluding their academic careers as they take their hard-earned degrees and embark on their professional journeys. But that’s not exactly what happened when Kansas City Chiefs’ kicker Harrison Butker’s now infamous commencement speech started making the rounds on social media.

The response has been unprecedented as women shared an outpouring of outrage at his words. This also comes at a time when women have been feeling particularly undervalued, as Harvey Weinstein’s conviction was recently overturned , Sean “Diddy” Combs’ violent actions towards women was caught on video (yet met with a shrug from law enforcement ), all while reproductive rights , IVF access and other hard fought rights seem to be slipping away.

Perhaps that’s why women across the country saw this as the moment to unleash their frustration not only at what they perceive as societal decline, but at the audacity of a man who saw no issue standing up in front of students graduating from an academic institution and announcing that their highest vocation was not in fact, in using those hard-earned degrees.

But creativity is born from chaos, and it took no time for the clever responses to start dominating social media feeds. At first, there were the classic memes , response videos and the general outrage posts , but there was also poetry , fan fiction and more.

The week after the speech, theSkimm founders Carly Zakin and Danielle Weisberg responded with their own commencement speech — the one they claimed women really deserved, with a caption that didn’t reference Butker by name, but rather by the Taylor Swift lyric, “the smallest man that ever lived.”

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In their response video, they said, “There are deeply concerning narratives about women’s roles rattling around right now…that you can’t be ambitious and be a devoted mother and partner. That when women succeed, men fail.”

Zakin and Weisberg pointed out that these narratives are false and that this year’s graduates have, “the potential to leave a legacy that transcends yourselves. The question that each of you have to answer is what you choose for that legacy to be.” In other words, women can build the life they choose, not one that’s chosen for them. “Note the word choose,” they continued.

“As young graduates celebrate a huge milestone and embark on the next phase of their lives, it's important that the speech be contextualized as one opinion, and not mistaken for the only option,” says Weisberg. “Since there was only one path highlighted, we felt that the graduates deserved to hear more about the other paths that can await them. No one should be told to stay in their lane.”

The word choice can be particularly sensitive to women with reproductive rights being challenged across the country after the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022.

That’s why women’s health companies like Stix felt compelled to make a statement about the pieces of the speech’s rhetoric they saw as particularly dangerous.

“It's never been more crucial to ensure Gen Z is armed with the tools to make informed and confident choices about their OWN bodies and futures,” said cofounders Jamie Norwood and Cynthia Plotch. “We're dedicated to supporting whatever decisions they make, providing unapologetic and non-judgmental, medically verified information they can rely on for all things related to sex, vaginal health, and reproductive rights.”

Chief's LinkedIn redline edits to commencement speech

Women’s networking platform Chief took to LinkedIn to offer a few red-lined edits to the speech, adding a new section that stated, “There will be people who reduce you to stereotypes or labels, making assumptions on your aspirations. Don’t let anyone ever define you.”

The traditional gender roles Butker was promoting in his speech has been portrayed most prominently in pop culture through the viral trad wife phenomenon , where online influencers perform domestic duties in their homes on video, from cooking to homeschooling, all while dressed in flowy “traditional-style” dresses and with a face full of makeup. Trad wife influencers portray traditional gender roles where men earn a living outside the home and women take on more traditional homemaker roles. The irony of which is not lost on those who point out how these women creating the videos are likely out-earning their husbands in the incomes they bring in through the trad wife content they create.

Journalist and bestselling author Jo Piazza has covered this phenomenon extensively . She even started writing a satirical trad wife novel, which she has been sharing in increments through her newsletter, Over the Influence .

After the infamous commencement speech, Piazza wrote a new section of her novel where a journalist attends a conference for mom entrepreneurs and a Butker-type character takes the stage to give the opening keynote.

There, he tells a crowd of mom founders, “I know that a lot of you were raised in a world that told you to lean in and climb the corporate ladder and grab that brass ring. But y’all know that just made women miserable. Y’all know you hated that. You didn’t want to worry your pretty little heads about spreadsheets and quarterly reports and promotions. Y’all want to have your babies and live the good life while your husbands take care of you. Am I right?”

That’s around when the pastries start flying towards the stage. It’s a satisfying and humorous take on what Piazza says should’ve happened during the commencement speech itself.

A major misconception is that the trad wife narrative is akin to stay at home motherhood. Which is why Neha Ruch, the founder of Mother Untitled , almost delayed a major announcement – that her book is finally available for people to pre-order – when she saw Butker’s take on homemakers dominating headlines. But she is very clear that her platform does not exist to tell women what they should or should not do.

Neha Ruch, founder of Mother Untitled

“Butker's comments positioned stay-at-home motherhood as women giving up on their ambitions outside of family and defending tradition,” she says. “For eight years, I've been dedicated to changing how people see stay-at-home motherhood to undo those tropes. Today, modern women are reimagining work and family without fitting into narrow categories of stay-at-home or working moms and if we can embrace a more fluid narrative including career pauses as one part of a long game, we open up more possibilities for women to make the choices that are right for them without shame or stigma.”

“I won’t let his words push us back to old-fashioned stereotypes in which women who lean into family for a chapter are seen as traditional or giving up on their dreams,” Ruch continues. “Modern women who pause their careers for caregiving have valuable work experience, supportive partnerships, access to technology and flexible work options, and they continue to learn and grow. Most intend to return to work confidently.”

No matter their focus at any given point in their lives, “These graduates deserve to hear that their futures are not predetermined for them and are theirs alone to figure out,” says theSkimm founder Carly Zakin. “There is no right or wrong path—only the path that works for you.”

Perhaps after that speech, some women decided their highest vocation in that particular moment was in the act of creating brilliant responses to not only this one commencement speech but to the audacity of those who believe there is only one path women should choose.

So thank you to Taylor Swift’s boyfriend’s coworker for motivating women everywhere to create impactful art, meaningful statements, and other forms of creative expression that hit on the message women really needed in this current moment. Seems like they got that inspirational message commencement speeches are supposed to offer after all.

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Speech: “Together we will unleash girls’ power in all its dimensions”

Date: Thursday, 12 October 2017

Dear colleagues, distinguished participants and dear friends,

Good morning and happy International Day of the Girl.

Thank you for all of your commitment, enthusiasm and determination to make a difference for girls and thank you to all the girls who are here and beyond listening to us and working with us.

Thank you especially to UNICEF for once again hosting today’s event to commemorate the International Day of the Girl, which UN Women is pleased to co-sponsor.

Let me say that too often adolescent girls face intersecting disadvantages because of their age, gender, ethnic background, sexual identity, religion affiliation, income, disability among other compounded factors. We have seen pictures, evoked images of girls in different situations that live with disadvantage, even without crisis. The perception and reality of vulnerability arising out of these multiple intersectionalities really creates that context of discrimination and differentiated impact of crisis.

During conflict or humanitarian situations, natural disasters or climate change, these factors exacerbate and disproportionately and differentially affect young women and girls due to neglect of their human rights and the intersecting forms gender-inequality and discrimination that they endure. So this is how we shine the light on this particular situation of girls in emergencies. As was mentioned, it is often forgotten that women and girls are not only helpless victims, they are sources of power, power to cope, power to prevent, power to reduce risk, power for resilience and transformation and to build back better after crisis. That is the power that we want to invoke and tap into.

We must be outraged about the disadvantages that girls still experience. But here has been some progress. Humanitarian actors and governments are much more aware today about addressing crises and resilience building with a gender lens and with a girls lens. But, we still have miles to go.

• Imagine that to date, women and children account for more than 75 per cent of the refugees and displaced persons at risk from war, famine, persecution and natural disasters.
• Every 10 minutes, somewhere in the world, an adolescent girl dies because of violence.
• Up to one-third of adolescent girls report their first sexual experience as being forced and they are victims of sexual violence. Currently at least 133 million girls and women have experienced female genital mutilation.
• Imagine, that more than 700 million women alive today were married below the age of 18 – and more than one in three (some 250 million) were married before 15. And we saw that in crisis, all of this is worse.
• Child marriage is four times higher among Syrian refugees than before the crisis. Evidence shows that 2,400 interviewed married refugee Syrian women in Lebanon, aged 20 to 24 years old, 47 per cent were child brides.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development provided us with 17 development goals, but also SDG 5, which is about “Achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls”, in all circumstances, including in crisis and humanitarian situations. This is a big win and a commitment of the international community and we must all work to see that it is realized, most of all in crisis situations. 

The 2030 Agenda has pledged to leave no one behind. This means that in our development efforts, girls must be a priority. The world should ensure girls are granted all the opportunities they deserve as they mature into adulthood. I would also like to mention something that has not been touched upon, which also plays out in crisis. The whole culture of ‘boy preference’ and ‘girl aversion’ has to be changed, where an equal valuing of girls is something that we must inculcate in all contexts.

Enabling girls to avoid child marriage and unwanted pregnancy, protect them against HIV transmission, and acquiring the education and skills they need to realize their potential, is a key priority toward 2030 and also a priority in crisis. Sometimes we forget that these are essential elements to be taken forward in crisis situations. 

Gender equality and empowering all women and girls is something that we seek to advance and if we fail to address girls’ differentiated needs and aspirations too, a generation will be lost and with it, our hope for sustainable development, prosperity, peace and security.

It is therefore critical to EmPOWER Girls: Before, during and after emergencies

One thing all emergencies have in common is that they create a new set of circumstances, which girls have to learn to navigate, but we, as adults around them, have to be in the forefront of prioritizing their needs and helping them navigate:

From one day to the next they may face the loss of their homes, friends and family members. They may suddenly be living in a shelter or have no shelter at all. They may not have access to basic services and amenities or be sure where their next meal is coming from. They may be fleeing the only place they have ever called home.

Furthermore, from the 1991 cyclone in Bangladesh in which 90 per cent of the 140,000 people who lost their lives were women; to the 276 Chibok schoolgirls were abducted by Boko Haram militants in Nigeria in 2014, to the women representing the single-highest adversely affected group by the earthquake in Nepal, we know that resilience building and recovery have a girl’s face. Not only they because they are the most in need of urgent help and in higher risk of violence in the aftermath of the crisis situations, but also because of the critical role young women and girls play in preventing, preparing for, and recovering from natural and human made hazards.

So how do we reach these girls? How can we protect them? How can we inspire them? And how can we ensure they are not left behind?

From today’s presentations we learned that resilience building and planning cannot be sustainable if we do not involve girls’ voices in the planning itself. We cannot be successful unless girls are empowered to actively participate in the solutions; girl-driven solutions. Let them decide how best to address their most urgent and future needs. Let their voices be heard.

Not only can girls inspire innovative and creative solutions, but they can guide and contribute to future policies, research, programming and media campaigns.

During this year’s 16 Days of Activism, we will be working with UNICEF and we will be launching U-Report’s Ending Violence Against Girls Information Centre, which will connect young users directly to the information and tools they want, to be advocates for change in their own communities.

We also need to create safe spaces in which these girls can feel empowered . UN Women has the Safe Cities Programme. UN Women’s Safe Haven centres, for example, provide a space to women and girls to express themselves without fear of judgment and harm.

Empowering girls must also form the core of any protection and humanitarian service provision and resilience building . That is why UN Women is combining what we call the LEAP that is Leadership, Empowerment, Access and Protection, which is about gender-responsive humanitarian response. And our LEAPS strategy, which is about empowering young women–their leadership and economic empowerment. So, we have three flagship programmes to support women and girls in the context of humanitarian crisis.

While education is key to the future of adolescent girls, in conflict and humanitarian zones girls are 90 per cent more likely to be out of school when compared to girls in other, conflict-humanitarian free, countries.

We know that an extra year of primary school for girls increases their eventual wages by 10 to 20 per cent, and that an extra year of secondary school increases them by 15 to 25 per cent.

Universal secondary education would cut child mortality in half. In Sub-Saharan Africa, maternal mortality could fall by 70 per cent.

We know also that when a girl sees herself as a leader or a mentor, it creates a positive force for change in her life.

As we end this morning’s commemoration, I have the pleasure of introducing the #FreedomForGirls film, which is currently available on Google’s homepage in over 50 countries. I invite everyone to share this powerful and inspiring film far and wide, to use the #FreedomForGirls hashtag to tell us what freedom really means to you, and to think about creative solutions for empowering girls in crisis settings, so that we can create a better future for us all.

Dear young people, leaders and champions,

In good times and in crisis—but specially in crisis and emergencies, all stakeholders and actors have a duty to care to make humanitarian response and resilience building work for, include and empower girls and young women.

On this International day of the Girl which zooms in on their rights before, during and after emergencies and crisis, let us take the following pledge:

Together we will protect girls' human rights in all circumstances;

Together we will foster girls’ capabilities in every field at all times;

Together we will make girl's voices heard in decision making;

Together we will promote and harness girl's leadership;

Together we will unleash girls’ power in all its dimensions;

Together we will ensure that girls’ full potential is realized, generation after generation.

Planet 5050 by 2030, there is where we all want to go. The SDGs are our today but it is also about our collective tomorrow and gender equality is our destination.

I thank you!

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Director Rosie Hidalgo Delivers Remarks at the Conference on Crimes Against Women

Dallas , TX United States

Remarks as Prepared for Delivery

Good morning! I want to thank Jan Langbein and Becky Park for their amazing dedication and for bringing us all together for this important conference. I want to extend my deep gratitude to each of you here today for your hard work and service and the commitment to continue learning from one another.

And I want to thank you, Pam, for your dedication and partnership and for the leadership of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in preventing and addressing firearms-related domestic violence.

I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as the Director of the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) at the Justice Department and collaborate with so many individuals and organizations dedicated to furthering our nation’s commitment to ending domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking and other related forms of gender-based violence.

OVW is tasked with overseeing the implementation of key parts of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), landmark bipartisan legislation first enacted by Congress in 1994. One of the hallmarks of VAWA is fostering a Coordinated Community Response, or CCR. The Crimes Against Women Conference is a wonderful forum to amplify the importance of collaboration across all sectors, to strengthen a multi-disciplinary approach to supporting survivors and their children. The response of each person a survivor encounters is critical to how — or even if — that survivor finds safety, justice and healing.

As we prepare to commemorate the 30th anniversary of VAWA this September, it is an opportunity for all of us collectively to reflect on the substantial progress that has been made. Fortunately, there have been significant paradigm shifts in society’s perceptions of these crimes and our responses to them. Individuals and organizations — including all of you here today — have worked tirelessly to bring these issues out of the shadows, support survivors and hold offenders accountable.

However, as you undoubtedly know, we still have much further to go. Many survivors still encounter significant challenges navigating complex systems and accessing critical resources and support that are trauma-informed and survivor-centered and that meet their unique circumstances.

As has been mentioned, there are important laws to prohibit those convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence from purchasing or possessing firearms. However, we know that for laws to be effective, it requires collaboration across sectors to ensure implementation, and to provide critical support for survivors at increased risk of serious injury or death.

OVW has been funding 12 sites across the country through our Firearms Technical Assistance Project (FTAP) to help communities implement policies and promising practices to reduce DV homicides and injuries committed with firearms. I had an opportunity recently to visit one of those sites in Birmingham, Alabama, to see firsthand the difference it is making in strengthening community collaboration to implement the firearms prohibitors and reduce both domestic violence and community violence.

Through these projects we have seen how important it is to develop tools to support a better understanding of these laws and how to implement them to increase victim safety.

As Pam mentioned, the reference card that has been shared with participants today and will be distributed nationally is a product of ongoing collaboration within the Justice Department. We hope this reference tool is something you can bring back and share out in your community to help in the investigation and prosecution of these cases.

OVW is also pleased to fund a National Resource Center on Domestic Violence and Firearms, which is led by the Battered Women’s Justice Project. Their staff is here at the conference and will lead a workshop to provide additional training on these issues, along with the FBI.

Additionally, this afternoon, OVW’s Deputy Director of Policy, Linda Phan, will be co-presenting with FBI, ATF and the Northern District of Alabama on federal resources to support your work in addressing firearms and domestic violence.

Another great example of this collaboration can be found right here in Dallas, where U.S Attorney Leigha Simonton for the Northern District of Texas has partnered with local authorities and victim services to federally prosecute these cases.

We are committed to build these partnerships and work with our federal colleagues, as well as state and local prosecutors, law enforcement and victim advocates. When we work together on behalf of survivors, we can save lives and help create communities free from violence.

And that’s why I’m particularly proud to share with you another collaborative effort. As the result of our close collaboration with state and federal prosecutors, OVW is releasing today a new resource for prosecutors: a Framework for Prosecutors to Strengthen Our National Response to Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence Involving Adult Victims.

This guide is designed to complement similar guidance for law enforcement that then-Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta announced at this very conference two years ago when she announced the updated guidance on “Improving Law Enforcement Response to Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence by Identifying and Preventing Gender Bias.”

This new guide for prosecutors provides a blueprint for building provable cases in a trauma-informed manner that treats victims with humanity and ensures due process for defendants. It sets out five principles that, if implemented, will lead to better outcomes for victims, safer communities and greater accountability for perpetrators of gender-based violence.

These principles are designed to address myths and misconceptions that often derail investigations and prosecutions of credible allegations. We are also launching a webpage to house additional resources to assist prosecutors in implementing the principles.

This guide was written by prosecutors for prosecutors. We began by partnering with our colleagues at the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) to convene an initial roundtable of prosecutors from around the country with expertise in prosecuting sexual assault and domestic violence.

One of our attorneys at OVW, who has previously served as a prosecutor for two decades, then spearheaded the effort to develop the guide. She also got input–from more than 120 state, Tribal, military and federal prosecutors, as well as advocates, academics and investigators who have dedicated their careers to addressing sexual assault and domestic violence. We are grateful to those who contributed to the development of the guide, including many of you who are here at the conference.

We are proud to announce these two new resources today from the Department of Justice. Your experiences, expertise and advocacy are what contribute to the development of these resources as we continue to learn from one another and strengthen collaboration.

As we mark VAWA’s 30th this year, we are reflecting on how each VAWA reauthorization has been an opportunity for stakeholders and policy makers to identify what is working well that we can continue to scale up, as well as identify gaps and barriers that need to be addressed, ensuring that these efforts are rooted in the voices and lived realities of survivors.

And each time VAWA has been reauthorized, most recently in 2022, it has allowed us to expand and enhance the ways in which we can do this important work. OVW grants and cooperative agreements provide critical resources to support a broad array of services across all U.S. states, territories and many Tribal nations. Since 2021, funding for VAWA implementation has increased by over 35%, with fiscal year 2024 appropriations reaching $713 million. Additionally, as a result of new provisions in the reauthorization of VAWA in 2022, OVW has launched several new grant programs and initiatives this year to continue to broaden pathways to justice, safety, healing and well-being for survivors.

With that said, I hope you will join me tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. for an OVW listening session. As we commemorate the 30th anniversary of VAWA, we want to hear directly from you — what are the strengths and promising practices that need to be scaled up; what are the challenges and barriers that victims face; how can we improve our partnership and strengthen a coordinated community response; and, ultimately, how can we strengthen prevention efforts and increase access to justice, safety, healing and well-being for survivors and their families.

Thank you again for allowing me the opportunity to be here and for all that you do.

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Harrison Butker’s commencement speech: Wives should stay at home. His mom’s a medical physicist

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Harrison Butker is a three-time Super Bowl champion and one of the most accurate field-goal kickers in NFL history.

As such, the Kansas City Chiefs kicker was given a platform to express his views as the commencement speaker at Benedictine College .

The devout Christian used the opportunity to give some radical thoughts and controversial opinions during a 20-minute speech delivered at the ceremony honoring the 485 students graduating from the Catholic private liberal arts school in Atchison, Kan., on Saturday.

Butker took shots at gender roles, abortion, President Biden and Pride month during his Benedictine address. Now the NFL appears to be distancing itself from the 28-year-old.

“Harrison Butker gave a speech in his personal capacity,” Jonathan Beane, NFL senior vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer, said in a statement emailed to The Times. “His views are not those of the NFL as an organization. The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger.”

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At Benedictine, Butker told the male graduates to “be unapologetic in your masculinity” and congratulated the female graduates on their “amazing accomplishment.” He went on to tell the women that he “would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world.”

Butker then told those women that “my beautiful wife, Isabelle, would be the first to say her life truly started when she began living her vocation as a wife and as a mother. I’m on this stage today and able to be the man I am because I have a wife who leans into her vocation.”

Butker — whose mother, Elizabeth Keller Butker, is a medical physicist at Emory University’s Winship Cancer Institute in Atlanta, where she’s worked since 1988 — then started getting choked up.

“I’m beyond blessed with the many talents God has given me,” Butker said, “but it cannot be overstated that all my success is made possible because a girl I met in band class back in middle school would convert to the faith, become my wife and embrace one of the most important titles of all: homemaker.”

That statement was met with 18 seconds of enthusiastic cheers and applause. Butker continued praising his wife and her role in their family.

“She’s the primary educator to our children. She’s the one who ensures I never let football or my business become a distraction from that of a husband and a father. She is the person that knows me best at my core and it is through our marriage that, Lord willing, we both will attain salvation.”

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During his opening remarks, Butker stated that “things like abortion , in vitro fertilization , surrogacy , euthanasia, as well as a growing support for the degenerate cultural values and media, all stem from the pervasiveness of disorder.”

He also said that Biden “has been so vocal in his support for the murder of innocent babies that I’m sure to many people it appears you can be both Catholic and pro-choice.”

At one point, Butker mentioned the word “pride” — then clarified that he wasn’t talking about “the deadly sins sort of Pride that has an entire month dedicated to it, but the true God-centered pride that is cooperating with the Holy Ghost to glorify Him.”

The comment, a jab at the LGBTQ+ community that celebrates Pride month every June, received a few chuckles from the audience.

When Butker finished his address, the crowd rose for an ovation. Susannah Leisegang , a former Benedictine track and field athlete who graduated Saturday with a degree in graphic design, said she was among the handful of people who did not stand.

“Some of us did boo — me and my roommate definitely did,” Leisegang said in a video she posted on TikTok . “There was a standing ovation from everyone in the room, except from me, my roommate and about 10 to 15 other women. You also have to keep in mind this was at a Catholic and conservative college, so a lot of the men were like, ‘F— yeah!’ They were excited. But it was horrible. Most of the women were looking back and forth at each other like, ‘What the f— is going on?’”

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Leisegang pointed out that she is 21 and has a job lined up in her field.

“Getting married and having kids is not my ideal situation right now,” she said. “So, yeah, it was definitely horrible and it definitely made graduation feel a little less special, knowing I had to sit through that and get told I’m nothing but a homemaker.”

Other members of the graduating class who participated in the ceremony have shared a variety of opinions on Butker’s speech. Elle Wilbers, 22, a future medical school student, told the Associated Press she thought Butker’s reference to the LGBTQ+ community was “horrible.”

“We should have compassion for the people who have been told all their life that the person they love is like, it’s not OK to love that person,” she said.

Kassidy Neuner, 22, who plans to teach for a year before going to law school, told the AP that being a stay-at-home parent is “a wonderful decision” but “it’s also not for everybody.”

“I think that he should have addressed more that it’s not always an option,” she said. “And, if it is your option in life, that’s amazing for you. But there’s also the option to be a mother and a career woman.”

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ValerieAnne Volpe, 20, who graduated with an art degree, told the AP she thought Butker said things that “people are scared to say.”

“You can just hear that he loves his wife,” Volpe said. “You can hear that he loves his family,” she said.

Butker has not commented publicly since the address. His previous social media posts are being used by people leaving comments both blasting and supporting his remarks. Heavy.com reports that all images of Isabelle Butker have been removed from her husband’s X and Instagram feeds in recent days.

Benedictine has not publicly addressed Butker’s controversial statements and did not immediately respond to multiple messages from The Times. The college’s social media feeds have been flooded with angry comments regarding Butker’s speech, and the comment section for the YouTube video of it has been disabled.

An article on Benedictine’s website about the commencement ceremony had initially referred to Butker’s speech as “inspiring.” The uncredited piece includes a reworked version of Butker’s “homemaker” quote that does not include that word, with no indication that the quote had been altered.

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The Chiefs did not respond to a request for comment from The Times. Tavia Hunt, wife of Chiefs owner Clark Hunt , appeared to express her support for Butker in a lengthy Instagram post Thursday.

“Countless highly educated women devote their lives to nurturing and guiding their children,” she wrote. “Someone disagreeing with you doesn’t make them hateful; it simply means they have a different opinion. Let’s celebrate families, motherhood and fatherhood.”

Gracie Hunt, 25, one of Clark and Tavia Hunt’s three children was asked about Butker’s speech Friday on “ Fox & Friends .”

“I can only speak from my own experience, which is I had the most incredible mom who had the ability to stay home and be with us as kids growing up,” Gracie Hunt said. “And I understand that there are many women out there who can’t make that decision but for me in my life, I know it was really formative in shaping me and my siblings to be who we are.”

Asked if she understood what Butker was talking about, Hunt said, “For sure, and I really respect Harrison and his Christian faith and what he’s accomplished on and off the field.”

A change.org petition calling for the team to release the kicker because of his comments has received more than 185,000 signatures. Eight petitions supporting Butker appear on the site as well. One has more than 11,000 signatures while the rest have fewer than 800 each.

The Chargers poked fun at Butker on Wednesday in their schedule-release video, which is modeled after “The Sims” video game. In the video, Butker’s likeness is shown baking a pie, scrubbing a kitchen counter and arranging flowers.

should we REALLY make our schedule release video in the sims? yes yes yesyes yesyes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yesyes yes yes yes yesye yes yes yes yes yesyes pic.twitter.com/MXzfAPyhe8 — Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) May 16, 2024

The official X account for Kansas City also appeared to attempt putting a humorous spin on the matter, posting a “reminder” that Butker lives in a different city Wednesday night before deleting it and posting an apology .

Earlier in the week on X, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas appeared to defend Butker’s right to express his views .

Grown folks have opinions, even if they play sports. I disagree with many, but I recognize our right to different views. Nobody should have to stick to anything. Varied and shall I say—diverse—viewpoints help the world go round. — Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) May 14, 2024

I think he holds a minority viewpoint, even in this state and the bordering one. I also believe more athletes, if freer to speak, would stand up for the voices of many marginalized communities. I hate “stick to sports” when used to muzzle Black athletes. I’m with consistency. — Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) May 14, 2024

Last year, Butker gave the commencement address at his alma mater, Georgia Tech, advising the graduates to “ get married and start a family .”

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Chuck Schilken is a sports reporter on the Fast Break team. He spent more than 18 years with the Los Angeles Times’ Sports Department in a variety of roles. Before joining The Times, he worked for more than a decade as a sports reporter and editor at newspapers in Virginia and Maryland.

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Is College Worth It?

2. public views on the value of a college degree, table of contents.

• Labor force trends and economic outcomes for young adults
• Economic outcomes for young men
• Economic outcomes for young women
• Wealth trends for households headed by a young adult
• The importance of a four-year college degree
• Getting a high-paying job without a college degree
• Do Americans think their education prepared them for the workplace?
• Is college worth the cost?
• Acknowledgments
• The American Trends Panel survey methodology
• Current Population Survey methodology
• Survey of Consumer Finances methodology

We asked Americans what they think about the value of a four-year college degree from a few different angles:

• Is a degree important in order for someone to get a well-paying job in today’s economy?
• Has the value of a degree changed in recent decades?
• Can someone without a degree get a well-paying job?
• How useful do people think their own education was in preparing them for a well-paying job?
• Is the cost of college worth it today?

Four-in-ten Americans say it is not too or not at all important to have a four-year college degree in order to get a well-paying job in today’s economy.

Only 25% say it’s extremely or very important to have a college degree, and 35% say it’s somewhat important.

We also asked the public about the importance of a college degree now versus 20 years ago.

About half of Americans (49%) say it’s less important today than it was in the past for someone to have a four-year degree in order to get a well-paying job. About a third (32%) say having a degree is more important now, and 17% say its importance hasn’t really changed.

Differences by party

Half of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents – compared with 30% of Democrats and Democratic leaners – say it’s not too or not at all important to have a four-year college degree to get a well-paying job.

And a majority of Republicans (57%) say having a degree is less important today than it was 20 years ago; 43% of Democrats say the same.

These partisan gaps hold even after controlling for differences in the educational attainment of Republicans and Democrats.

Differences by education

College graduates are more likely than those with less education to say that having a college degree is extremely or very important (30% vs. 22%).

But views on whether having a college degree is more or less important today than it was 20 years ago don’t differ significantly by education. Roughly half of four-year college graduates (51%) and those with less education (48%) say it’s less important today for someone to have a college degree than it was in the past.

Adults with a postgraduate degree, however, have somewhat different views than those with a bachelor’s degree on both of these measures. Some 35% of postgraduates say it’s extremely or very important to have a four-year college degree in order to get a well-paying job, compared with 27% of those whose highest attainment is a bachelor’s degree.

And 39% of postgraduates – compared with 30% of those with a bachelor’s degree – say it’s more important to have a college degree today than it was 20 years ago.

Differences by age

Young adults stand out in their views on the importance of a college degree today versus in the past.

Among those ages 18 to 29, 44% say having a degree is more important today in order to get a well-paying job than it was 20 years ago. By comparison, 29% of those 30 to 49 and 30% of those 50 and older say the same.

Americans also have mixed views when it comes to whether someone without a four-year college degree could get a well-paying job in today’s economy.

Only about a third (34%) say it’s extremely or very likely that someone withouta four-year degree could get this kind of job.

Nearly half say it’s somewhat likely that someone without a college degree could get a well-paying job, and 20% say it’s not too or not at all likely.

These views differ by:

• Partisanship: 42% of Republicans and 26% of Democrats say it’s extremely or very likely someone without a four-year degree could get a well-paying job. Among Democrats, 25% say it’s not too or not at all likely; just 15% of Republicans say the same.
• Education: 28% of adults with at least a bachelor’s degree say it’s extremely or very likely that someone without a college degree could get a well-paying job today. This compares with 37% of those with some college and 36% of those with a high school diploma or less education.

When thinking about how useful their own education was in giving them the skills and knowledge needed to get a well-paying job, a majority of those with a four-year college degree or more education (58%) say it was extremely or very useful. (This finding excludes the 9% of respondents who said this question did not apply to them.)

Adults with a postgraduate degree are especially likely to say their education was extremely or very useful: 72% say this, compared with 47% of those whose highest attainment is a bachelor’s.

By comparison, adults with less education have more mixed views. Among those who have not completed a bachelor’s degree, 38% say their education was not too or not at all useful in giving them the skills and knowledge needed to get a well-paying job; 35% say it was somewhat useful, and 26% say it was extremely or very useful.

These views don’t differ as substantially by age or by party.

When asked about the cost of college these days, many Americans question whether it’s worth it if a student has to take on debt. Nearly half of adults (47%) say a four-year college degree is worth the cost, but only if someone doesn’t have to take out loans in order to attend.

Only 22% say college is worth the cost even if someone has to take out loans. And 29% say college isn’t worth the cost.

Meanwhile, data from the Federal Reserve shows that more than four-in-ten adults who attended college say they took out student loans for their education .

Views on the value of college differ by partisanship, education and age. But notably, in all groups except for Republicans, pluralities say the cost of college is worth it only if someone doesn’t have to take out loans.

A narrow majority of Democrats (54%) say the cost of getting a four-year college degree is worth it, but only if someone doesn’t have to take out loans. A smaller share of Republicans (41%) say the same.

About one-in-four Democrats (26%), compared with 19% of Republicans, say the cost is worth it even with loans.

Republicans are twice as likely as Democrats to say college is not worth the cost (38% vs. 19%).

Americans with at least a four-year college degree are much more likely than those with less education to say that college is worth the cost even if someone has to take out loans (32% vs. 17%).

Those with a postgraduate degree are among the most likely to express this view: 37% say college is worth the cost even after taking out loans. This compares with 29% among those with a bachelor’s but no postgraduate degree.

Even so, across all education levels, more say a four-year degree is worth the cost only if someone doesn’t take on debt than say it’s worth the cost with debt.

Those with some college or less education are about twice as likely as those with at least a bachelor’s degree to say the cost of getting a degree isn’t worth it at all (35% vs. 18%).

Young adults are more likely than their older counterparts to say the cost of a degree is worth it only if someone doesn’t take out loans: 55% of those ages 18 to 29 say this, compared with 48% of those 30 to 49 and 44% of those 50 and older.

And 18- to 29-year-olds are less likely to say the cost isn’t worth it at all (22% vs. roughly three-in-ten among older age groups).

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Half of Latinas Say Hispanic Women’s Situation Has Improved in the Past Decade and Expect More Gains

From businesses and banks to colleges and churches: americans’ views of u.s. institutions, fewer young men are in college, especially at 4-year schools, key facts about u.s. latinos with graduate degrees, private, selective colleges are most likely to use race, ethnicity as a factor in admissions decisions, most popular, report materials.

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Why the speech by Kansas City Chiefs kicker was embraced at Benedictine College’s commencement

The Benedictine College sign is seen Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Atchison, Kan., days after Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker gave a commencement speech that has been gaining attention. Butker’s speech has raised some eyebrows with his proclamations of conservative politics and Catholicism, but he received a standing ovation from graduates and other attendees of the commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 11. (AP Photo/Nick Ingram)

Students leave after attending a Catholic Mass at Benedictine College Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023, in Atchison, Kan. Students told The Associated Press in interviews they embrace the college’s emphasis on Catholic teaching and practice. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

FILE - Catholics pray during Mass at Benedictine College Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023, in Atchison, Kan. Enrollment, now about 2,200, has doubled in 20 years. Some 85% of its students are Catholic, according to the Cardinal Newman Society. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)

The campus at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kan., was quiet on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, days after Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker gave a commencement speech that was getting attention. Butker’s speech has raised some eyebrows with his proclamations of conservative politics and Catholicism during his weekend speech, but he received a standing ovation from graduates and other attendees of the commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 11. (AP Photo/Nick Ingram)

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Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker may have stirred controversy in some quarters for his proclamations of conservative politics and Catholicism on Saturday, but he received a standing ovation from graduates and other attendees of the May 11 commencement ceremony at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas.

The fast-growing college is part of a constellation of conservative Catholic colleges that tout their adherence to church teachings and practice — part of a larger conservative movement in parts of the U.S. Catholic Church.

Butker’s 20-minute speech hit several cultural flashpoints.

Butker, a conservative Catholic himself, dismissed Pride month as consisting of the “deadly sin sort of pride” while denouncing abortion and President Joe Biden’s handling of the pandemic. He said women are told “diabolical lies” about career ambition when “one of the most important titles of all” is that of homemaker. He said this is not time for “the church of nice” and in particular blasted Catholics who support abortion rights and “dangerous gender ideologies.”

WHAT IS BENEDICTINE COLLEGE?

Benedictine College is a Catholic college in Atchison, Kansas, that traces its roots to 1858. It is located about 60 miles north of Kansas City., and has an enrollment of about 2,200.

LOTS OF COLLEGES ARE CATHOLIC. WHAT MAKES IT DISTINCTIVE?

In some ways, Benedictine College sounds like a typical Catholic college. Its “mission as a Catholic, Benedictine, liberal arts, residential college is the education of men and women within a community of faith and scholarship,” according to its website.

But its home to more traditional expressions of Catholicism, such as the Latin Mass, all-night prayer vigils and a strict code of conduct. Its mission statement further cites its commitment to “those specific matters of faith of the Roman Catholic tradition, as revealed in the person of Jesus Christ and handed down in the teachings of the Church.”

The school gets a high ranking from the Cardinal Newman Society, a group that touts nearly two-dozen conservative colleges that exhibit what it calls “faithful Catholic education.” That includes upholding church teachings and Catholic identity while providing ample Masses and other devotional activities in shaping their students.

The society seeks to differentiate schools that “refuse to compromise their Catholic mission” from those that have become “battlegrounds for today’s culture wars.” Others praised by the society include Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., Ave Maria University in Florida and Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio.

The society’s ranking says Benedictine benefits from having monks in residence, multiple Masses and prayer groups, spiritually focused organizations and theology programs with professors with a “mandatum” of approval from the local bishop.

HOW HAS THAT RESONATED WITH STUDENTS?

Benedictine’s enrollment has doubled in the past 20 years. Some 85% of its students are Catholic, according to the Cardinal Newman Society.

Students told The Associated Press in interviews they embrace the college’s emphasis on Catholic teaching and practice.

“It’s a renewal of, like, some really, really good things that we might have lost,” one student told the AP in its recent article on the revival of conservative Catholicism.

OTHER FACTS

Annual tuition for full-time undergraduates is $35,350, but Benedictine says 100% of its students receive some form of financial aid.

Benedictine’s sports teams, called the Ravens, compete in National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Its athletics department says it is committed to ”setting the highest standards for academic success, athletic competition, ethical behavior, fiscal responsibility, and spiritual development.”

HOW DID GRADUATES REACT TO BUTKER’S SPEECH?

Video of the commencement shows virtually all the graduates and spectators rising to a standing ovation, but student interviews showed a more mixed reaction.

ValerieAnne Volpe, 20, who graduated with an art degree, lauded Butker for saying things that “people are scared to say.”

“I was thinking about my dad, who was also here, and how he’s probably clapping and so happy to see what he would say is a real man (reflecting) family values, good religious upbringing and representation of Christ to people,” she said. “You can just hear that he loves his wife. You can hear that he loves his family.”

Kassidy Neuner, 22, said the speech felt “a little degrading” and gave the impression that only women can be a homemaker.

“I think that men have that option as well,” said Neuner, who will be spending a gap year teaching before going to law school. “And to point this out specifically that that’s what we’re looking forward to in life seems like our four years of hard work wasn’t really important.”

Elle Wilbers, 22, who is heading to medical school in the fall, said the Catholic faith focuses on mothers, so that portion of the speech wasn’t surprising. She was more shocked by his criticism of priests and bishops “misleading their flocks” and a quip comparing LGBTQ+ Pride month to one of the seven deadly sins.

“We should have compassion for the people who have been told all their life that the person they love is like, it’s not okay to love that person,” Wilbers said. “It was sort of just a shock. I was like, ‘Is he really saying this right now?’”

WHAT DID BENEDICTINE’S NUNS SAY?

The Benedictine Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica, one of the founding sponsors of Benedictine College, issued a statement Thursday criticizing Buter’s speech, contending it did not properly represent the college’s values.

“Instead of promoting unity in our church, our nation, and the world, his comments seem to have fostered division,” the statement said.

“One of our concerns was the assertion that being a homemaker is the highest calling for a woman,” it added. “We sisters have dedicated our lives to God and God’s people, including the many women whom we have taught. ... These women have made a tremendous difference in the world in their roles as wives and mothers and through their God-given gifts in leadership, scholarship, and their careers.”

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Chiefs' Harrison Butker blasted for commencement speech encouraging women to be homemakers

Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker has aggravated one of the internet's biggest culture wars by telling a class of college graduates that one of the “most important” titles a woman can hold is homemaker.

During a commencement speech last weekend at Benedictine College, a Catholic liberal arts school in Atchison, Kansas, the NFL player railed against abortion, Pride month and Covid-19 lockdown measures.

Drawing the most viral backlash this week, however, was a section of his speech in which he addressed the female graduates specifically — telling them that it’s women who have had “the most diabolical lies” told to them.

“How many of you are sitting here now, about to cross this stage, and are thinking about all the promotions and titles you are going to get in your career? Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world,” Butker said. “But I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world.”

The criticisms that followed took aim at Butker as well as the NFL.

"Hey @NFL — If you want to continue to grow your female fan base and any other marginalized group (straight white men are already watching your product), come get your boy," wrote Lisa Guerrero, a former NFL sideline reporter and now an investigative journalist for "Inside Edition."

He went on to tell the graduates that his wife would agree that her life “truly started when she began living her vocation as a wife and as a mother.” It is her embrace of this role, he said, that made his own professional success possible.

Butker’s comments share similarities with some of the more extreme ideas around gender roles that have gained traction in communities that promote “ tradwife ” lifestyles or other relationship dynamics that center on traditional gender roles .

“Listen, there’s nothing wrong with his wife being a homemaker. Homemakers are wonderful, that’s not the point,” filmmaker Michael McWhorter, known by his more than 6 million TikTok followers as TizzyEnt, said in a video response. “The point is he seemed to be acting as if you should be ashamed if you don’t want to be a homemaker, or, ‘I know what you really want to do is just stay home and have babies.’"

The speech was the latest incident to add fuel to the flames of this increasingly vocal cultural battle, much of which is playing out online. While many prominent right-wing men have voiced such beliefs before, they’re usually confined to internet forums, podcasts and other online communities where these ideologies thrive.

A spokesperson for Butker did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Benedictine College and the Kansas City Chiefs did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A spokesperson for the NFL told People Magazine that Butker "gave a speech in his personal capacity" and his "views are not those of the NFL as an organization."

"The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger," a spokesperson told the publication.

Butker, who is teammates with Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, further drew surprise and criticism when he quoted Kelce’s girlfriend, Taylor Swift, whose monumental career success as a global pop star has inspired college courses .

“As my teammate’s girlfriend says, ‘familiarity breeds contempt,’” he said, drawing murmurs from the crowd as he used the “Bejeweled” lyric as an analogy for why Catholic priests should not become “overly familiar” with their parishioners.

In the days since his speech, a Change.org petition for the Chiefs to dismiss Butker for “discriminatory remarks” has garnered nearly 19,000 signatures.

“These comments reinforce harmful stereotypes that threaten social progress,” the petition stated. “They create a toxic environment that hinders our collective efforts towards equality, diversity and inclusion in society. It is unacceptable for such a public figure to use their platform to foster harm rather than unity.”

Those who criticized Butker’s speech online include actor Bradley Whitford as well as DJ and rapper (and self-proclaimed Swiftie ) Flavor Flav .

But his speech was also lauded by some on the religious right, including conservative sports media personalities such as Clay Travis and Jason Whitlock , who defended Butker’s statements toward women.

“Not a word Harrison Butker says here should be remotely controversial. He’s 100% correct,” former NFL wide receiver T.J. Moe posted on X . “Those trying to convince women that being assistant VP of lending & intentionally childless at age 40 is more fulfilling than making a family and home are evil.”

Sports and culture commentator Jon Root also posted that Butker “exposed the lies that the world has been telling women.” Women, he wrote, are wrongly encouraged to climb the corporate ladder, view children as a “burden” and see marriage as “not worth pursuing.”

Still, a deluge of viewers online took issue with his attitude toward women and the LGBTQ community. Many women also rejected the premise that they would be happier staying at home in lieu of paid work, even if they do have a husband and children.

“I am moved. I actually had no idea that my life began when I met my husband,” neurosurgeon Betsy Grunch, known as Ladyspinedoc on TikTok, said sarcastically in a TikTok video . “It did not begin when I graduated magna cum laude from the University of Georgia with honors. It certainly did not begin when I graduated with a 4.0 GPA, Alpha Omega Alpha, from medical school. And I had no idea that it did not begin when I completed my residency in neurosurgery.”

Angela Yang is a culture and trends reporter for NBC News.

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At Morehouse, Biden says dissent should be heard because democracy is 'still the way'

Stephen Fowler

Jeongyoon Han

President Biden speaks to graduating students at the Morehouse College commencement Sunday in Atlanta. Alex Brandon/AP hide caption

President Biden speaks to graduating students at the Morehouse College commencement Sunday in Atlanta.

President Biden told Morehouse College's graduating class of 2024 that he's committed to serving Black voters while defending freedom and democracy in the face of "extremist forces" that he says threaten the soul of the nation.

With just six months until the general election, the speech, which was filled with religious themes of struggle and resilience, also served as a continuation of Biden's warning to his supporters of what he thinks the country would look like if Donald Trump is elected again.

"They don't see you in the future of America, but they're wrong," he said. "To me, we make history, not erase it. We know Black history is American history."

The president's commencement address at Morehouse, a historically Black school in Atlanta, also comes as polling shows potentially lower support for his reelection efforts among Black voters and young voters, and as campus protests over conflict in Gaza have disrupted graduations around the country.

Biden said he understood angst over the direction of the country, acknowledged "dissent about America's role in the world" and said that those who have different views should have their voices heard in the name of democracy.

"That's my commitment to you," he said. "To show you: democracy, democracy democracy — it's still the way."

Graduating students at the Morehouse College commencement bow their heads Sunday in Atlanta. President Biden addressed the graduating class of 2024 and warned about "extremist forces" he says threaten the soul of the nation. Alex Brandon/AP hide caption

Graduating students at the Morehouse College commencement bow their heads Sunday in Atlanta. President Biden addressed the graduating class of 2024 and warned about "extremist forces" he says threaten the soul of the nation.

His speech is also one of many events on his recent trip aimed at speaking to Black voters, following events with plaintiffs in the historic Brown v. Board Supreme Court case, meetings with Black Greek Letter Organizations, often known as the Divine Nine, and before he headlines an NAACP dinner in Detroit.

For weeks, several college and university campuses around the country have been roiled with student protests and encampments expressing opposition against Biden and U.S. policies and involvement around conflict in Gaza.

Biden will cap off a week of outreach to Black Americans with Morehouse commencement

Biden is set for the Morehouse graduation. Students are divided

Morehouse has seen student demonstrations, but not occupation of campus spaces or clashes with law enforcement. Outside of the ceremony, a small number of protesters gathered while the commencement itself did not see any major disruptions.

Last week, Morehouse College President David Thomas said he would rather halt proceedings than have students escorted away for protesting.

"If my choice is 20 people being arrested on national TV on the Morehouse campus, taken away in zip ties during our commencement, before we would reach that point, I would conclude the ceremony," he said on NPR's Weekend Edition .

An attendee stands in protest with their back to President Biden as Biden speaks to graduating students at the Morehouse College commencement Sunday in Atlanta. John Bazemore/AP hide caption

An attendee stands in protest with their back to President Biden as Biden speaks to graduating students at the Morehouse College commencement Sunday in Atlanta.

Those concerns did not come to pass. Apart from the heightened security and increased media presence, Biden's speech was met with a similar response to a typical college graduation ceremony.

More than 400 graduating students walked across the stage Sunday, and during Biden's speech a handful of students, some wearing keffiyehs , turned their chairs around to face away from the president.

After the ceremony, Morehouse issued a statement praising the graduating class and their intentionally muted response to Biden.

"It is fitting that a moment of organized, peaceful activism would occur on our campus while the world is watching to continue a critical conversation," the statement reads. "We are proud of the resilient class of 2024's unity in silent protest, showing their intentionality in strategy, communication, and coordination as a 414-person unit."

DeAngelo Fletcher, Morehouse College's valedictorian, closed his address to his classmates by addressing global conflict, particularly the Israel-Hamas war.

"For the first time in our lives, we've heard the global community sing one harmonious song that transcends language and culture," he said. "It is my sense as a Morehouse Man, nay — as a human being — to call for an immediate and a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip."

Biden's speech at Morehouse comes with intense scrutiny as many presidential horse race polls show the president lagging with young voters, Black voters and other nonwhite groups that helped propel him to a narrow victory against Trump in 2020.

Those polls — for now — signal a drop in support for Biden but not necessarily an equal shift toward Trump. There are also signs that some of the displeasure with Biden is more pronounced among people who aren't as likely to vote in November.

While facing a nominal challenge in the Democratic presidential primary, Biden's best-performing areas have often come in places with a large share of Black voters. For example, in Georgia's primary contest 95% of Black voters pulled a Democratic ballot, and Biden won 95% of the overall vote.

While some students, faculty and alumni expressed opposition to Biden's selection as the commencement speaker, reaction on campus during the graduation ceremony was largely positive.

Dr. Tiffany Johnson, a 50-year-old who came to the campus green at 4:30 a.m. to see her son graduate, was also excited to see Biden.

"He is the leader of the free world, the most important job in the world, and for him to come to speak to [Morehouse] graduates, to inspire them, is phenomenal," Johnson said.

Johnson said Black voters who might not support Biden are part of a "bandwagon" that do not understand what he has done for the community, and said his speech would be an ideal opportunity to share his accomplishments.

In the speech, Biden touted a track record that he says makes key investments in Black communities, including a record $16 billion funding package toward historically Black colleges and universities, protecting voting rights, and creating economic policies that strengthens Black businesses.

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