The Importance of Educational Awareness for Women in Third World Countries

Educational awareness in first world countries has allowed people to deal with pressures resulting from the fast pace of change as a result of economic development. Educational awareness is also a significant factor for a more efficient means of disseminating information. Developed countries has managed to achieve this level of educational awareness in their people through education programs that are more accessible to the public and continuous training in the field of adult education. However, this is not the case for third world or developing countries.

It is the general perception that in terms of education, women experience more discrimination mainly due to economic, social and cultural factors. However, achieving women's educational awareness is important for the following reasons:

1. Lowering fertility rates. It has been repeatedly proven in formal studies and even in plain observation that women who have attained a higher level of educational awareness are more likely to use reliable and efficient family planning methods, marry at a later, more appropriate age for childbearing, and have fewer babies compared to their less educated counterparts.
2. Reducing child mortality rates. Women with formal education are also more likely to seek medical assistance whenever necessary, secure immunization for their children, are better able to fill their children's nutritional requirements, and practice personal hygiene and sanitation for their dwelling. This results to their children having higher chances of survival.
3. Reducing maternal mortality rates. Women with educational awareness also tend to have better knowledge of health care practices, are less likely to become pregnant at a young, riskier age. They also tend to have carefully timed pregnancies and seek pre- and post-natal consultations.
4. Protection against sexually transmitted diseases. Education is one of the most powerful safeguards against women engaging in unprotected sexual encounters. Educational awareness becomes a factor in this by contributing to a woman's economic independence, influencing women to marry at an appropriate age and adopting family planning.