Having just marked their 60th anniversary, UNICEF released a major report on the State of the World’s Women and Children. Through exploring the lives of women and children in all corners of the world, the report had this overriding conclusion:
   

Empowering women through gender equality benefits BOTH women and children. Along with this, some of the other key findings: Healthy, educated and empowered women have healthy, educated and confident daughters and sons. Gender equality will not only empower women to overcome poverty and live full and productive lives, but will better the lives of children, families and countries as well. Women’s equal rights and influence must be enhanced in three distinct arenas: the household, the workplace and the political sphere. A change for the better in any one of these realms influences women’s equality in the others, and has a profound and positive impact on child’s well-being. Gender equality is not only morally right, it is pivotal to human progress and sustainable development. Achieving this goal will contribute to achieving all the other goals, from reducing poverty and hunger to saving children’s lives.

However, there is much progress still to be made…

While there have been great strides in recent decades, millions of girls and women still face discrimination, disempowerment and poverty.

• In most places women earn less than men for equal work.
• Globally, girls and women are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS.
• Millions of women throughout the world are subject to physical and sexual violence, with little recourse to justice.
• As a result of discrimination, girls are less likely to attend school.

Some profiles of women around the world seeking this empowerment (one, a bit familiar)…

In conjunction with this report, UNICEF created video profiles of 8 women from around the world. There is 14-year-old Fatna, who, after fleeing the abuses of her Darfur homeland, is overcoming both the odds and tradition to get an education in a Chad refugee camp… There is Ena from Indonesia, who lost her livelihood in the tsunami but fought for a loan for women entrepreneurs and now has a growing food stall that is supporting her and her daughters…

… And amidst at least 7 genuinely inspiring women who have overcome the gravest of challenges, there happens to be a profile from the U.S., of an Executive Mom… Perspective, if nothing else, on how relatively lucky we all are.

View the Executive Mom profile (and 7 other much more awe-inspiring profiles) on UNICEF.ORG, and learn more about this important report
 

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