Big data fascinates me. I love metrics. I am an outcome thinker – and am big picture oriented. I strongly believe that in order for change to be effectively implemented, the scope of the problem needs to be assessed. Data must be collected, summarized, and understood in order for global action to be taken.

This appreciation for quantifiable evidence is embodied in the comprehensive “No Ceilings Full Participation Report” released today. The numbers geek in me was beyond excited to attend the media launch of the report to get the lowdown on the state of women around the globe. That, and hearing from female political heavy hitters like Nobel Prize-winning teenager Malala Yousafzai and Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, were just icing on the nerd cake.

The launch, MC’d by one of Global Citizen’s favorite computer scientists, Melinda Gates, as well as Hillary and Chelsea Clinton, summarized the report’s content. Both the Gates Foundation and the Clinton Foundation have been active in a year long global project to develop “The Full Participation Report” that offers a comprehensive and data-driven analysis on the status of women and girls since the 1995 UN Fourth World Conference in Beijing.

The “Not There Yet: A Data Driven Analysis of Gender Equality” launch brought together global and community leaders to present the Full Participation Report, helping to shine a light on the progress women have made, as well as the gaps that remain.

It’s my privilege to share the take-aways from the launch (complete with my grainy iphone pictures. Note to self: next time, remember to bring better camera). As global citizens, understanding the status of women, and the progress that needs to be made is critical to our continued march towards gender equality. Take a look at the launches highlights of the report below!

1.) The importance of data

Uzma and Shabana Badik-Rasikh of School of Leadership in Afganistan

The data taken by the Full Participation Project reveals the remarkable progress made by women over the past two decades - and shows us that with sufficient commitment, resources, and accountability, progress is possible. But continued attention needs to be given to data in order to fully understand how, and where, progress should be made. Continuing to work with global leaders, NGOs, and civilians to get holistic quantitative and qualitative data is critical in ensuring we, global citizens, are on the right track in terms of moving toward gender equality.

2.) Barriers for full gender equality

Darril Astrisa Saunders of Trinidad and Tobago speaking about her chocolate company (entrepreneurship never tasted so good!)

In too many places, women’s rights in economic, civic, and family lives are limited. A review of the status of women over the past 20 years, reveals that much needs be done to realize gender equality worldwide. But the Full Participation Report also shows that progress has been made over the past two decades - and with sufficient commitment, resources, and accountability, progress is possible! (and this makes me, as a feminist, and a global citizen, VERY happy!)

3.) Education

Hillary Clinton in conversation with author Sheryl Wudunn and Debbie Sterling of GolideBlox

There is good news in the realm of education! According to the Full Participation Report, the gender gap in access to primary education has virtually closed globally. Girls and boys are now enrolled in primary school at nearly equal rates worldwide! But holes remain. Marginalized girls, particularly those in poor rural areas and conflict-affected regions, experience the greatest educational disadvantages. Among primary school-age children worldwide, 43 percent of those out of school are girls from the poorest households. And two-thirds of illiterate adults around the world are women.

The news is less good in secondary education. Despite the narrowing of the gender gap in secondary education, many girls remain out of school. This is often as a consequence of geographic distance to getting to school, the responsibility of “water fetching”, the threat of violence, lack of proper sanitation facilities and gender bias.

Further, although women now outnumber men in universities, inequality in science, tech, engineering, and math (known as STEM fields) persists. And this has economic consequences for women, as well as creating “gendered” professions that put men and women into different realms of work.

Education is the most important thing to the success of all people. Not only should everyone have access to education, but subjects shouldn’t be “pinked” labeled (if you don’t know that term, it means a profession is marked as just for women). We, global citizens, must make our commitment to education comprehensive and guarantee equal education access for all peoples. (For further inspiration about educational equality, check out the inspirational Shabana Basij-Rasikh, co-founder and president of the School of Leadership in Afghanistan who spoke about the importance of education).

4.) Environmental degradation

Advocate Ikram Ben Said of Tunisia speaks about gender equality and female representation in the public sphere

Women can be at the forefront of reversing climate change through grassroots mobilization, training, and local initiatives focused on environmental restoration, but data needs to be increased in order for change to be most effective. The Full Participation Report makes clear that not enough is known about the environmental risks women face. But even the incomplete data suggests that the environmental challenges the world is facing is disproportionately affecting women. Despite women being more vulnerable to the consequences of environmental challenges, they are often excluded from planning and neogration. It is critical that female participation can be increased - particularly in the realm of environmental stewardship (Wanjira Mathai spoke beautifully about the Green Belt Movement at the launch event). For example, women in communities are learning about the effects of deforestation, and are being taught to utilize cleaner forms of energy in “clean” cookstoves.

Environmental concerns are everyone’s issues - but global attention must be paid to how women are disproportionately affected by climate change. I, for one, hope to see increased data and awareness of how women are impacted by environmental degradation. With this knowledge, global citizens can make real change!

5.) Women’s voices being fully heard and represented

Her Excellency, President Kolinda Graber-Kitarovic

Women remain underrepresented in leadership positions. Almost twice as many women hold political office today compared with 20 years ago, but women still remain in the minority. Women are not represented adequately in peace talks, and women remain vastly underrepresented in senior management positions (case in point: the share of women CEOs in Fortune 500 companies was zero in 1995; now it is still only 5 percent. Not really what I would call huge success).

While women have gained political rights over the past two decades, their power and influence remains limited. Women's voice and decision making power must be increased in both public and private life in order for societies to become fully equitable.

6.) Economic equality and empowerment

Melinda Gates with Lisu Su and Nely Galan

Increasing women’s participation in the labor force helps to fuel economic growth. Despite this fact being widely accepted, barriers still exist. And barriers to women’s economic opportunities are more than just legal and cultural. They can include gender differences in human capital, time use, and access to assets, as well as differences in legal frameworks and social norms.These differences constrain women’s productivity - resulting in families and societies investing less in women.

It’s a simple logic, but it makes sense: if women aren’t making the amount of money that their male counterparts do, then family’s are losing out on income. Economic inequality isn’t an issue that simply affects women, it’s a family issue! Lets work to make income parity a reality by voicing our opinions in our communities and workplaces. Equal pay for equal work!

7.) National security and violence against women

Hillary Clinton moderates a conversation between President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic of Croatia and Melanne Verneer of the Georgetwon Institute for Women

Violence against women is a global epidemic, contributing to gender inequality. An estimated one in three women worldwide has experienced physical or sexual assault during her lifetime - and in many causes, the abuse comes from intimate partners. Rates of intimate partner violence vary across countries, but in some regions, such as in the Congo in Africa or Kiribati in the Pacific, the proportion is as high as 60 percent. Violence against women and girls affects women from all economic, social, and geographic groups.

While the Full Participation Report paints a stark picture of violence against women, it also suggests that defeating traditional gender norms, and increasing women's role and status in society, will help to halt gender related violence. Let’s work together to make violence against women everyone’s concern. Men must become involved in stopping gender related violence!

8.) Bottom line

The finale with all guests on stage

“If we want to go further, we need to aim higher,” said Malala Yousafzai, speaking from Skype to the launches audience. The Nobel laureate speak truth - in order to capitalize on the progress that has been made over the last 20 years, the global community (that’s us, global citizens!) must accelerate the pace of change toward gender equality and aim to do more for the status of women. We can do this by ensuring that women are not hindered by legal barriers, that resources are allocated equally to both genders, and that social norms that underpin inequalities are challenged and eradicated. The global community must commit to the improvement of our measurements of progress of women and girls, because, as Melinda Gates rightly pointed out in today’s presentation, “we know that what gets measured, gets done.”


As the No Ceilings: Full Participation Project shows, since 1995 considerable progress has been made in the status of women and girls. But the report also illustrates that there is still a long way to go before the world has true gender equality. Women and girls should be able to lead the lives they want, wherever they are born or live. By better understanding the barriers that hinder women and girl’s success, the global community can more effectively bridge the gaps.

To finally achieve the full participation of women and girls, it will take engagement from everyone - governments, private sectors, multilateral institutions, and civil society. 2015 is the year to recommit to gender equality from the development of the SDGs to ensure a promising future for all peoples. I would encourage an exploration of www.nocelings.org to learn more. And share this clickable infographic (seriously, just click on it!) to spread the word and get your community to undertake real change.

ACTION: Share this infographic from the No Ceilings Report.


Disclosure: Melinda Gates is the co-founder of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, a funding partner of Global Citizen.


Editor's note: This piece has been updated to include a disclosure that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is a funding partner of Global Citizen. We regret the oversight.

Editorial

Demand Equity

Hillary & Chelsea Clinton and Melinda Gates work to shatter glass ceilings

By Former Global Citizen Staff Writer