10/2: Report to check out: Global Gender Gap 2007

Several of you have written to me recently asking about Gender Gaps. I've been doing a lot of thinking about this lately. Sorry to have not shared some of my findings just yet. Interesting, 97.9% of women ages 15-29 in Zimbabwe are literate in English (meaning they can read and write proficiently).  This is one of the highest literacy rates for women in the world. 

Closing the gender gap between men and women, as well as between boys and girls, is key to successful and sustainable community development.  Women are typically far more likely to spend money approriately in a family, but need crucial decision making skills acquired through basic and secondary education.  Zimbabwe statistically is a leader, but the economic crises over the past few years has led to a change in the role women are playing in schools and communities. When money dries up - girls and women are the 1st to lose out on educational opportunities.

A powerful report detailing this issue can be found here: Global Gender Report 2007

The link provides interviews with the authors, as well as spreadsheets for all you info junkies out there. 

The new 2008 report will be released in November 2008, but the 2007 report should suffice for now. :) 

Hope you are well,

Ryan