The lives of men and women around the world are changing dramatically. The rapid pace of urbanization in most countries, improvements in education and the spread of the mass media have exposed people to new ideas, new values, new expectations, new economic pressures and new opportunities. In some developing countries, for example, the proportion of women in their early 20s with at least some secondary education is three or four times that of their mothers’ generation (although educational levels generally are still low compared with those in developed countries).

These changes are causing women to examine the desirability of large families and how to fulfil the role of mother. At the same time, however, poverty and discrimination undermine women’s ability to contribute to and take full advantage of social and economic progress—in the workplace and within the family. Most of the developing world is extremely poor, and many countries lack basic services. Consequently, in addition to raising their children, many millions of women must spend long hours every day performing grueling domestic chores, as well as working outside the home.

On top of these burdens, women often face discrimination simply because they are women. Far fewer girls than boys are enrolled in secondary school in many countries, for example, and in some, girls and women receive less nutritious food and smaller portions than boys and men. Moreover, women are frequently not permitted to own or inherit property, lack the right to make personal decisions, earn lower wages than men, are victims of physical or sexual abuse and are exploited by their husband’s family. These and other discriminatory practices subvert women’s self-esteem and weaken their economic and physical health.

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