Book on gender

If the soul of a society can be judged by how it treats the most vulnerable, then its future, its prospects for sustainable growth, stability, and long-term shared prosperity can be similarly predicted by the equity of opportunity it offers to every child in life. Throughout the world, and particularly in poor countries, women and girls bear the brunt of poverty. They have to take care of their families. They sustain life, cultivate the land, fetch water and firewood. Yet, in some countries, they face social and economic discrimination that prevents them from going to school, getting paid jobs and participating in civic life. Every child is born with the same inalienable right to a good start in life, good health, an education, and a healthy and protected childhood. But around the world, millions of children are denied their rights and the minimum necessary for a healthy childhood because of where they were born, their race, gender, ethnicity or family background.