3 Ways Empowerment Starts at Home — For My Daughter and Girls Everywhere
Jessica Jackley's piece on empowering young women is both a personal narrative and a global call to action. Through the lens of her daughter Soraya's experiences, Jackley illustrates how empowerment is cultivated through education, confidence, and freedom. These foundational elements are taught in everyday moments at home, where Soraya's assertiveness is encouraged, and through the impactful work of organizations like VOW for Girls, which fights against child marriage and promotes education for girls worldwide.
Jackley emphasizes that empowerment is not an innate trait but a skill honed by supportive environments. Her insights remind us that fostering a girl's ability to voice her opinions and make decisions is vital for building self-assured, capable women. This approach, when multiplied across millions of girls, promises a more equitable world where everyone benefits from the diverse contributions of empowered women.
Constructive analysis
The constructive-journalism lens: not just what happened, but what works.
- The problem
- The challenge of disempowerment and lack of agency for girls worldwide, exacerbated by practices like child marriage.
- The actions
- Providing education and fostering environments where girls' opinions are valued and their autonomy is respected.
- Evidence of progress
- VOW for Girls' work, which prevents millions of girls from becoming child brides and allows them to remain in school, is a testament to the power of these efforts.
- What we can learn
- Empowerment can be systematically built through small, intentional actions that prioritize a girl's voice and choice, applicable both in family settings and broader social initiatives.
PERMA profile of this story
How this story scores across the PERMA dimensions.
- Positive Emotion
- 8
- Engagement
- 9
- Relationships
- 7
- Meaning
- 9
- Accomplishment
- 8
Character strengths in play
Top VIA strengths this story embodies.
Courage
Soraya learned to use her voice early, to ask for what she needs.
Hope
Empowerment isn’t a personality trait some girls are lucky enough to have. It’s something built deliberately.
Perseverance
Confidence isn’t the absence of failure. It’s the accumulated evidence, over thousands of small moments, that you’re capable and your voice counts.
Try this today
Reflect on a recent situation where you either supported or overlooked a child's voice. Consider how you might create more opportunities for them to express their opinions and make decisions, fostering their confidence and empowerment.