Millennium Developmental Goal for 2015 Empowering Women Millennium Developmental Goal for 2015

2015 Millennium Goals End Poverty and World Hunger Achieve Universal Primary Education Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women Reduce Child Mortality Improve Maternal Health Combat HIV/AIDS , Malaria and other diseases Ensure Environmental Sustainability Develop a Global Partnership For Development The United Nations has identified eight Millennium Goals. These eight goals were agreed upon by all the countries and world leaders with a target date of 2015.

Gender Equality Stems from injustice related to human rights and economic development. Defined by The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) as “ leveling the playing field for girls and women by ensuring that all children have equal opportunity to develop their talents.”

To achieve gender equity women must have: family and community support for female education. education past elementary level. education for girls. When you educate a female you are educating another generation. Women teach their children.

Empowerment involves developing confidence to: Gain power Gain authority Gain influence over others Individuals build their strength or become empowered spiritually, politically, socially, and economically by learning to gather information and resources, make decisions, and evaluate those decisions for improvement.

Empowering Women & Education Girls’ primary school enrollment increase more than boys’ in all developing region between 2000 and 2006. Women often do not attend school because their schools lack private and decent sanitation facilities. Women occupy almost 40% of all paid jobs outside agriculture.

Empowering Women Goal Job opportunities are open Women need to seek position

Empowering Women Overall, women occupy almost 40% of all paid jobs outside agriculture, compared to 35% in 1990. Women have more income-earning opportunities than ever before.

Empowering Women Problem Women trapped in low paid, insecure positions

Empowering Women 2/3 of women in developing regions are an unpaid family worker

Empowering Women Two main regions Southern Asia Sub-Saharan Africa Source: United Nations. (2008). Millennium goals report 2008. Retrieved on March 10, 2010 from http://mdgs.un.org/unsd/mdg/Resources/Static/Products/Progress2008/MDG_Report_2008_En.pdf#page=20

Problems Everywhere Gender-specific occupations Female dominated positions are characterized by: Inferior status Lower pay Poorer working conditions

Quick Facts “Women have more access to employment now than ever before. But they still earn one-third less than men.”

Quick Facts “In 2008, women held 18% of parliamentary seats worldwide.”

United Nations Development Fund For Women (UNIFEM) “Promotes women’s empowerment, rights and gender equality globally, and through 15 sub-regional and two national offices that support programs within and among individual countries.”

References United Nations. (2008). Goal 3: promote gender equity and empower women. Retrieved on March 10, 2010 from http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/gender.shtml United Nations Development Fund For Women. (2005). Retrieved on March 10, 2010 from http://www.unifem.org/about/fact_sheets.php?StoryID=259 Photographs : United Nations. (2008). Millennium goals 2015. Retrieved on March 10, 2010 from http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/gender.shtml Karen Hardin, B.S. RD Dietician Hazel Forsythe, Ph.D. RD Associate Professor Margaret Cook-Newell, Ph.D. RD Lecturer March, 2010 Copyright © 2010 for materials developed by University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension. This publication may be reproduced in portions or its entirety for educational or nonprofit purposes only. Permitted users shall give credit to the author(s) and include this copyright notice. Educational programs of Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability, or national origin.