The importance of women's contributions to the development process is more evident than ever before.
Women are the sole breadwinners for an increasing number of households.
They hold key positions as community organizers and are forging their roles in emerging democracies. They account for a majority of the developing world's micro-entrepreneurs and provide most of the labor in the agriculture sector, which remains the backbone of virtually all developing economies. The contributions women make to economic productivity, food security, environmental conservation, and family health and nutrition are indispensable to meeting development objectives. Although many international agreements recognize women's human rights, pervasive gender bias means women are much more likely than men to be malnourished, poor and illiterate and to have less access than men to medical care, property ownership, employment and political power. Gender bias exacts an enormous toll on women's lives, health and potential.