11 Facts About Women Around the World

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1. Every 90 seconds, a woman dies during pregnancy or childbirth. Most of these deaths are preventable, but due to gender-based discrimination many women are not given the proper education or care they need.^["Maternal Health is a Human Right." Amnesty International USA. http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/campaigns/demand-dignity/maternal-health-is-a-human-right (accessed July 25, 2014).]
2. As many as 1 in 4 women experience physical or sexual violence during pregnancy. Take a stand and collect cell phones to benefit domestic violence programs. Sign up for Cell Phones for Survivors.^["UN Secretary-General's campaign: United to end the violence against women. "Break the silence. When you witness violence against women and girls, do not sit back. Act."Ban Ki-moon, Secretary - General." UNiTE To End Violence Against Women. http://endviolence.un.org/situation.shtml (accessed July 25, 2014).]
3. Women make up 80% of all refugees and displaced people. Instruments of genocide such as sexual violence and rape are often directed at women and girls.^["Women, Peace and Security." Amnesty International USA. http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/issues/women-s-rights/women-peace-and-security (accessed July 25, 2014).]
4. Women are seldom included in formal peace processes. Women are usually not represented among decision-makers and military leaders, the usual participants in these processes.^[Women, Peace and Security. New York: United Nations, 2002. .]
5. Women gained the right to vote in America in 1920.^[National Archives and Records Administration. "America's Historical Documents." National Archives and Records Administration. http://www.archives.gov/historical-docs/document.html?doc=13&title.raw=19th+Amendment+to+the+U.S.+Constitution:+Women%27s+Right+to+Vote (accessed July 22, 2014).]
6. As of January 2012, women held 15.1% of all presiding officer posts in governments the world.^[Inter-Parliamentary Union. "Women in Parliament in 2011: The Year in Perspective." Inter-Parliamentary Union. http://www.ipu.org/pdf/publications/wmnpersp11-e.pdf (accessed July 25, 2014).]
7. More than 16.4 million women in the world have HIV/AIDS.^["World AIDS Day annual call to arms against global disease | UNMC." World AIDS Day annual call to arms against global disease | UNMC. http://www.unmc.edu/news.cfm?match=1345 (accessed July 25, 2014).]
8. The US government estimates that 600,000 to 800,000 victims (mostly women and children) are trafficked globally each year, and 14,500 to 17,500 are trafficked into the US.^[U.S. Department of State. "Fact Sheet: Distinctions Between Human Smuggling and Human Trafficking 2006." U.S. Department of State. http://www.state.gov/m/ds/hstcenter/90434.htm (accessed July 25, 2014).]
9. Women account for 70% of the population living in absolute poverty (on less than $1.00 a day).^["Introduction to the challenges of achieving gender equality." Introduction to the challenges of achieving gender equality. http://www.globalcitizen.org/Content/Content.aspx?id=058f8fee-01f4-4508-a54d-464ff22a4716 (accessed July 25, 2014).]
10. Over 60 million girls worldwide are child brides, married before the age of 18.^["UN Secretary-General's campaign: United to end the violence against women. "Break the silence. When you witness violence against women and girls, do not sit back. Act."Ban Ki-moon, Secretary - General." UNiTE To End Violence Against Women. http://endviolence.un.org/situation.shtml (accessed July 25, 2014).]
11. 603 million women live in countries where domestic violence is not yet considered a crime.^["UN Secretary-General's campaign: United to end the violence against women. "Break the silence. When you witness violence against women and girls, do not sit back. Act."Ban Ki-moon, Secretary - General." UNiTE To End Violence Against Women. http://endviolence.un.org/situation.shtml (accessed July 25, 2014).]