AUS students increase awareness of Vincentian public on empowerment of women, girls

With March 8 having been declared International Women’s Day, some medical students of the American University of St Vincent School of Medicine (AUS) took the opportunity to increase awareness of the Vincentian public on the need to empower women and girls.

Although their focus was primarily based on women and girls in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), the students informed the public that this is a global health issue.

In their educational campaign, the AUS’ medical students highlighted ways in which women and girls could be empowered. These include education, the provision of better jobs and increased job opportunities, giving women more decision-making power and improving women’s access to and control over resources. Pamphlets on the topic “Empowerment of Women and Girls” were distributed and informed of means by which educational institutions can empower females; barriers to the empowerment of women and girls; the effects of gender inequality on health outcomes; and the role of men and boys in the empowerment of women and girls. Recommendations for the continued promotion of gender equality and the need to encourage the overall development of women and girls were also a part of the aforementioned pamphlet.

The information was well received by the public. However, many were surprised to hear that women and girls have a key role in empowering themselves and that men and boys also contribute to this empowerment. It was a rewarding experience for the students who, through their interaction with the Vincentian public, learnt that persons were willing to gain further knowledge on the subject, which was rarely previously seen as a health-related issue.

Following this public education session that took place on Friday, March 10 and given the positive feedback from the Vincentian public, the medical students at AUS vowed to continue their campaign, with the hope that more persons will be educated on the need for women and girls to be empowered. The team of students was led by dean of Student Affairs and assistant professor at AUS, Dr Shakel Henson.