Empowerment and Sustainability: Investigating Barriers to Women’s Transition from Higher Education to Empowerment in Brazil
Gender equality continues to be a global issue, with significant disparities in attention and action between developed and developing nations. Women, in particular, face unique challenges when transitioning from higher education (HE) to empowerment compared to their male counterparts. In many develo...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-11-01
|
| Series: | Societies |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/14/11/234 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850147110292291584 |
|---|---|
| author | Muhammad Qasim Rana Angela Lee José Fernando Rodrigues Bezerra Guilherme Hissa Villas Boas |
| author_facet | Muhammad Qasim Rana Angela Lee José Fernando Rodrigues Bezerra Guilherme Hissa Villas Boas |
| author_sort | Muhammad Qasim Rana |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Gender equality continues to be a global issue, with significant disparities in attention and action between developed and developing nations. Women, in particular, face unique challenges when transitioning from higher education (HE) to empowerment compared to their male counterparts. In many developing countries, barriers to accessing formal education are prevalent, while, in others, despite access to education, women struggle to leverage their learning for societal advancement. This paper adopts the development theory approach by exploring the role of gender equality in fostering sustainable development, emphasizing how women’s empowerment is integral to overall societal progress. This study focuses on Brazil, where, despite high levels of female educational attainment, women still encounter substantial obstacles in transforming their education into meaningful societal empowerment. These challenges include restricted freedom and mobility, deeply ingrained gender norms, violence and harassment, cultural and societal expectations, economic limitations, and family obligations. Survey data were collated from 192 students, alumni, and staff at three academic higher education (HE) institutions in Brazil, utilizing a range of descriptive and inferential statistical analyses to uncover the most significant barriers. This study concludes with policy recommendations aimed at various stakeholders, including government bodies, employers, and other organizations, to support a smoother transition for women from higher education to empowerment. These recommendations include improving workplace policies, enhancing legal protections, and promoting gender equality in leadership roles, all of which are essential to narrowing the gender gap in Brazil. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a4e63dfc64b24db5938bcec6ce286c25 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2075-4698 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Societies |
| spelling | doaj-art-a4e63dfc64b24db5938bcec6ce286c252025-08-20T02:27:39ZengMDPI AGSocieties2075-46982024-11-01141123410.3390/soc14110234Empowerment and Sustainability: Investigating Barriers to Women’s Transition from Higher Education to Empowerment in BrazilMuhammad Qasim Rana0Angela Lee1José Fernando Rodrigues Bezerra2Guilherme Hissa Villas Boas3School of the Built Environment, University College of Estate Management, Reading RG1 4BS, UKSchool of the Built Environment, University College of Estate Management, Reading RG1 4BS, UKDepartment of Geography, State University of Maranhão, São Luís 65055-310, BrazilDepartment of Geography, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-596, BrazilGender equality continues to be a global issue, with significant disparities in attention and action between developed and developing nations. Women, in particular, face unique challenges when transitioning from higher education (HE) to empowerment compared to their male counterparts. In many developing countries, barriers to accessing formal education are prevalent, while, in others, despite access to education, women struggle to leverage their learning for societal advancement. This paper adopts the development theory approach by exploring the role of gender equality in fostering sustainable development, emphasizing how women’s empowerment is integral to overall societal progress. This study focuses on Brazil, where, despite high levels of female educational attainment, women still encounter substantial obstacles in transforming their education into meaningful societal empowerment. These challenges include restricted freedom and mobility, deeply ingrained gender norms, violence and harassment, cultural and societal expectations, economic limitations, and family obligations. Survey data were collated from 192 students, alumni, and staff at three academic higher education (HE) institutions in Brazil, utilizing a range of descriptive and inferential statistical analyses to uncover the most significant barriers. This study concludes with policy recommendations aimed at various stakeholders, including government bodies, employers, and other organizations, to support a smoother transition for women from higher education to empowerment. These recommendations include improving workplace policies, enhancing legal protections, and promoting gender equality in leadership roles, all of which are essential to narrowing the gender gap in Brazil.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/14/11/234Brazilhigher educationsustainabilityempowermentgender equality |
| spellingShingle | Muhammad Qasim Rana Angela Lee José Fernando Rodrigues Bezerra Guilherme Hissa Villas Boas Empowerment and Sustainability: Investigating Barriers to Women’s Transition from Higher Education to Empowerment in Brazil Societies Brazil higher education sustainability empowerment gender equality |
| title | Empowerment and Sustainability: Investigating Barriers to Women’s Transition from Higher Education to Empowerment in Brazil |
| title_full | Empowerment and Sustainability: Investigating Barriers to Women’s Transition from Higher Education to Empowerment in Brazil |
| title_fullStr | Empowerment and Sustainability: Investigating Barriers to Women’s Transition from Higher Education to Empowerment in Brazil |
| title_full_unstemmed | Empowerment and Sustainability: Investigating Barriers to Women’s Transition from Higher Education to Empowerment in Brazil |
| title_short | Empowerment and Sustainability: Investigating Barriers to Women’s Transition from Higher Education to Empowerment in Brazil |
| title_sort | empowerment and sustainability investigating barriers to women s transition from higher education to empowerment in brazil |
| topic | Brazil higher education sustainability empowerment gender equality |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/14/11/234 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT muhammadqasimrana empowermentandsustainabilityinvestigatingbarrierstowomenstransitionfromhighereducationtoempowermentinbrazil AT angelalee empowermentandsustainabilityinvestigatingbarrierstowomenstransitionfromhighereducationtoempowermentinbrazil AT josefernandorodriguesbezerra empowermentandsustainabilityinvestigatingbarrierstowomenstransitionfromhighereducationtoempowermentinbrazil AT guilhermehissavillasboas empowermentandsustainabilityinvestigatingbarrierstowomenstransitionfromhighereducationtoempowermentinbrazil |