Living in poverty is devastating, but women around the world are twice more likely than men to live in poverty because of their lack of legal rights and access to education. "There is still no country where women are equal to men," stated Cherie Blair, barrister and wife of former British prime minister Tony Blair, at the American Bar Association's International Law Spring meeting.
In a panel discussion titled "Helping Poor Women Around the World: What Private Lawyers Can Do for the Public Good," Blair shared how sexual inequality inspired her to put women's rights at the "heart" of her mission as a lawyer. Blair was joined by fellow panelists: Mary Chaffin, Mercy Corps; Deborah Espinosa, Rural Development Institute; and Ericka Guevera Rosas, Global Fund for Women. Margaret Niles, Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Preston Gates Ellis, moderated the panel.
The panelists shared personal examples of the injustices against women they witnessed in the various countries in which they work. They also discussed how private lawyers can address the global struggle of women.
The panelists believe the primary reasons for poverty among women are their lack of access to land ownership, loans, skill development opportunities and education.
In most countries, women are only allowed to own land through an inheritance from a man, typically their husband, after death. Additionally, many women are unable to take out loans to start a business because bank laws in many countries do not consider their possessions, such as jewelry or inherited land, collateral for taking out a loan. These obstacles are hard to overcome, particularly for widows who have no way of supporting themselves or their children.
The panelists shared how their respective organizations address these problems. RDI's mission focuses on land rights as well as the following areas: land law policy development and reform, legal literacy programs and advocacy for legal aid. The Global Fund for Women provides financial support in order to ensure equal education and healthcare, and prevent domestic violence. Mercy Corps alleviates poverty and oppression by teaching skills. such as organic gardening techniques, and by helping to develop self-sustaining businesses.
Lawyers can do a number of things to further women's rights in developing countries such as:
- Examining inheritance laws and finding ways to secure property ownership for women
- Advocating for a change in laws and community practices to accept alternative possessions (i.e. jewelry) as collateral to take out loans
- Offering pro bono legal services to non-profit women's organizations.
Investments in the economic development of women are effective. Studies have shown that investing in female education would better the economy by increasing the capabilities of the population. Further, the Gross Domestic Product of a country could be increased by 2% by investing in women's work skills.