Dr. Lara Nettlefield is an educator. She has a background of teaching international relations, international justice and political science at Exeter University (UK), Institut Barcelona d'Estudis Internacionals (Spain) and Columbia University (US) where she also completed her Doctorate/Masters. She has a lot of experience working on the ground in Bosnia & Herzegovina including International Commission on Missing Persons, NATO Parliamentary Assembly and OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe). She shares her wisdom and learning in Bosnia to help us understand the ground realities in Afghanistan.
She emphasizes that education is the only way of taking a war-torn country like Afghanistan forward. It gives an opportunity for equal and better opportunities in society. The gender discrimination in education can keep the country regressive for a very long time. She hopes that equal opportunities for learning can be provided for both men and women along with better infrastructure.
She sees multipronged benefits of internet connectivity especially for the younger generation. Social media not only provides an opportunity to connect, network, share views and information but is also an excellent platform for promotion. Internet opens up opportunities for honing technical and other skills that are extremely important for today’s employers. Internet also provides a space for global communities far bigger in terms of geographical reach. This helps initiate discussions on cultures and also passes on real stories and events in developing and especially war-struck countries that is very important.
She places a lot of emphasis on education for women. Only when we bring women to the mainstream of economy through education and jobs will we see great economic development and parity in society. It is not important only from the social point of view but cultural viewpoint as well.
She makes a pertinent point by giving the example of education in developed Western countries. She says that despite having a large number of women enrolled in colleges and universities in the US, the same ratio does not percolate down to the Corporate boardrooms or the legislators. This discrepancy needs to be addressed there as well. So, the problem is even graver in developing nations where very few women have access and social acceptability towards education.
Do see her entire interview in the video above. For all my posts on Afghanistan and women’s issues there, do see my webtv on Film Annex.
