Women perform approximately 66% of the world’s work and produce approximately 50% of the food. Yet, why do they earn approximately 10% of the income and own only about 1% of the property?

Sadly, women bear a disproportionate burden of the world’s poverty.  They are more vulnerable to economic insecurity because they earn less.  Women of working age are more likely than men to live in a poor household.  Globally, women’s earnings are 24% less than men’s because of differences in education, experience and training, and ingrained stereotypes.

But the interesting fact of the matter is in emerging markets, women reinvest a staggering 90 cents of every additional dollar of income in “human resources” which include their families’ education, health, and nutrition.  Increasing entrepreneurship among women is essential to increasing economic opportunity for women and their families and, therefore, ending poverty.

We know that women’s entrepreneurship reduces poverty, so it is critical we provide every opportunity for women to thrive, because when they earn more they give more.  They make the most of every hard earned dollar, investing it in their families, children, health and education.  Allowing women economic power enables them to make the world a better place in which we all live.