Facts and figures

At least 1 out of every 3 women worldwide are beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime.(Amnesty International)
Currently, 26 women preside over one of the Houses of the 178 existing Parliaments, 64 of which are bicameral.(Women in Parliament: Beyond Numbers)
Women working full-time earn, on average, 17% less an hour than men working full-time. For women working part-time the gap is 36% an hour.(Fawcett)
Of an estimated 115 million children who currently do not attend primary school, girls make up 57%. (United Nations)
Some countries still do not have universal suffrage. Among them are Brunei, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.(Women in Politics)
In 2003, at least 54 countries had discriminatory laws against women.(Amnesty International)
Only 1% of the world's assets are in the name of women.(Women's Learning Partnership)
Shefa Province has become the first Provincial Council in Vanuatu to adopt the principles of the Convention on Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).(22nd May 2009, Radio New Zealand International)