In most societies, women are still considered less valuable than men. Their many contributions in the home, the workplace and in society are ignored or undervalued. They generally have little or no say in decision-making within or outside the home, starting with the crucial decision on the size and spacing of their families. They have less access to education than men, fewer occupational choices and lower earnings. Too many women are poor, are unskilled workers and thus have little opportunity for advancement. Too many women are victims of abuse and violence. Too few women are represented in decision-making bodies such as parliaments and ministries. The origin of human rights abuses against women and girls is often found in their families, where they first learn that women are second to men. This bias is often reinforced by custom, religious doctrine and tradition, and is rarely addressed in public or even in international meetings. The freedom to make reproductive choices is a cornerstone of women’s empowerment. It is the first of women’s freedoms and the one from which all others flow. An essential part of women’s empowerment is better reproductive health, including access to modern, safe, affordable and effective family planning. Increasing numbers of women today are working towards their own empowerment. But they cannot do it alone. Men’s support is essential: Efforts to increase women’s status are unlikely to succeed without it. Because men hold the power to influence societal thinking in most parts of the world, they have a key role to play in eliminating inequalities between themselves and women. From living room to legislature, from bedroom to boardroom, men dominate positions of power. Men must come to recognize that women’s empowerment is not a threat but rather a way to improve families and societies. Societal progress can only be achieved if men promote women’s empowerment in all spheres: in the home, in reproductive decision-making, in education, in the workplace, and in the political, legislative and public policy arenas. Power that has been hoarded in the past as privilege can be shared in the future for the betterment of society. top