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Short Summary |
At the Millenium Summit in September 2000, the
largest ever gathering of world leaders agreed to the Millenium Development
Goals (MDGs), a set of time-bound and measurable goals and targets
for combating poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy, environmental
degradation and gender inequality. Gender equality is not only a goal
in its own right (goal number three), but is taken to be a means to
achieving the other MDGs. This volume examines the strengths and weaknesses
of the MDGs in tracking progress for women and suggests improvements
and alternatives. The main section consists of a largely statistical
international cross-country assessment of women's situation at the
beginning of the new millennium, using the MDG indicators for goal
three. Women in sub-saharan Africa face the greatest challenges with
the highest level of maternal deaths and prevalence of HIV/AIDS, low
levels of education and literacy, and low wage employment among women.
Nevertheless, women are beginning to play a greater role in decision-making,
as members of parliament and as activists. |
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