The Global Status of Women

Women and girls make up 70% of the world’s poor and two-thirds of the world’s illiterate population. Globally, 1 in 3 women will experience some type of domestic violence. There is little difference between poor and rich countries on this measure.

The statistics are daunting, yet little attention is paid to the global status of women in mainstream media. However, this past weekend the New York Times Magazine was devoted entirely to this incredibly important yet under-covered issue. The Magazine includes an article from Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn about the status of women around the world and the violence and brutality inflicted against them, from sex trafficking to acid attacks, bride burnings to mass rape. The edition also offers a interviews with Secretary of State Hilary Rodham Clinton on her ongoing efforts to raise the status of women around the world and Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, President of Liberia about the role of women in bringing peace to Liberia.

To understand the context behind the issues addressed in these articles, check out the recent edition of the World Savvy Monitor on the Global Status of Women. In this edition we examine the root causes, the symptoms, and the nuances behind the statistics relating to women’s representation in much that is good and bad in the world today. Although grim at times, especially as it relates to women in living in poverty, the story is about potential as much as it is about vulnerability.