Description

Recent years have seen an increasing importance given to

the development of women. To make development more

meaningful, inclusive growth is needed that encourages

women's participation in various spheres of life.

In many parts of the world, women's status is significantly

despondent. Further, the millennium development goals have

been hindered by extensive gender inequality.

Several Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), including

eliminating poverty, reducing infant mortality, achieving

universal education, and eliminating the gender gap in

education by 2015, have been argued as prerequisites to

achieving gender equality, according to Kofi Annan, UN

Secretary General (United Nations, 2005). The World Bank

(2001) recommends policy changes to address gender

inequality in "rights, resources, and voice" in its report,

"Engendering Development.