Some $13 billion a Year Needed to Reach Gender Millennium Development Goals

WASHINGTON—Women’s health and education have improvedsubstantially in most countries, but progress is lagging on improving theireconomic opportunities, and investments of some US$13 billion a year areneeded to achieve the overall goal of gender equality and women’s empowerment,says a new report by the World Bank and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

“Equality for Women: Where Do We Stand on Millennium Development Goal 3?” wasreleased today during a joint seminar of the International Center for Researchon Women and the World Bank, a day ahead of the United Nations High-level Event on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

“Gender equality is key for poverty reduction and growth,” says DannyLeipziger, World Bank Vice President for Poverty Reduction and EconomicManagement (PREM).

“Progress on women’s education is essential but not enoughif we don’t improve women’s access to good jobs and credit lines, to landownership and to income-generating activities.”