As someone who is passionate about gender equality and the empowerment of all marginalised groups, you understand the importance of education and access to knowledge as tools to achieve these goals. But what about the millions of people around the world who face barriers to education, such as poverty, illiteracy or lack of access to technology? How can we ensure that their voices are heard and their potential is realised?

The visually impaired population in developing countries faces significant challenges that can greatly affect their ability to access education, employment and overall quality of life. One of the main causes of visual impairment in these areas is lack of access to proper health care and nutrition. Many people in developing countries do not have access to regular eye examinations or treatment for common eye diseases such as cataracts and glaucoma. In addition, poor nutrition can lead to vitamin A deficiency, which is a leading cause of blindness in these areas.

Education has always been entwined with class, gender, and ethnicity. Nowhere is this relationship more prominent than Sub-Saharan Africa. According to a UNICEF study, Guinea, the Central African Republic, Senegal, Cameroon, Benin, Niger, and Rwanda are the countries that spend the smallest percentage of public education spending on the poorest households. All of these countries spend 10% or less on educating the poorest households while dedicating 30% to 50% of their public education funds to the wealthiest households.

Many organizations and governments seek to achieve female empowerment through education. Although it is not the only means of achieving it nor the only one stakeholders should be focusing on, it is certainly an important aspect of female empowerment and a powerful tool for change, especially because it allows women to gain access to knowledge that will help them in the agency processes that play a big role in empowering women (Kabeer 2005, 16).