Social Change Leadership and Advocacy for Ces and Human Services and Fostering Change

Social Justice

Improving social justice for women has been identified as one of the building blocks of social change. Population control, education, and the eradication of domestic violence are all interlinked. "UNICEF estimates that worldwide, some 117 million school-aged children do not attend school, 62 million of them girls. Attendance rates are lowest in sub-Saharan Africa, where only 57% of girls are in school, and just 15% of these go on to secondary school" (About us, 2011, Women's global education fund). Women's education is not simply a feminist issue. Higher rates of female education are linked to lower birth rates and better health outcomes for children as well as women.

Women who are educated are more empowered to take control over family planning and have more resources to take care of the children they do have. "Educated mothers limit their families," says Dr. Yasmin Raashid, a leader in obstetrics and gynecology in Pakistan. "The tragedy in our country has been that the majority of women in Pakistan are not educated" (McCarthy 2011). She notes that Sri Lanka, a smaller and poorer nation than Pakistan, has a literacy rate of 91%. In Sri Lanka, the average number of children is 2.3; in Pakistan it is 3.9 (McCarthy 2011). Improving access to education and birth control are vitally necessary for more sustainable population control for the planet as well as social justice.

Even in my own work, I see the importance of education for women. Domestic violence victims are often unwilling to leave untenable situations simply because of the fact they fear they cannot provide for themselves and their families. A lack of education and job skills are often the cause and connecting women of all ages with vocational training is vital for self-empowerment. Taking away a woman's money is a common tactic used by abusers: this underlines how economic 'threats' are often used to encourage women to submit to physical abuse (Domestic violence, 2011, ACOG)

Part II

The problems a counselor deals with are often not individual in nature, but related to larger social issues. Counselors often must act as advocates for their clients within a larger social system. Enabling eligible families to obtain assistance with food or unemployment insurance, connecting clients to job training, and helping clients obtain loans for their education requires a counselor to 'connect' with various federal and state agencies. Many of these agencies are experiencing cutbacks in light of the recent economic recession. Additionally, there are perpetual frustrations in obtaining mental and physical health services for clients who may not have adequate insurance but who are not eligible for Medicare or Medicaid.

When encountering such roadblocks, a counselor understands that it is vitally necessary to be a member of a professional organization and to lobby his or her congressperson to continue to fund such vital programs and to support legislation that can expand access to care. As part of my professional development, networking with other professionals through such organizations of social workers and other health professionals is vitally important, as is keeping abreast of political developments that affect the poor and sick.