What does EQUAL mean to you?

It’s 2011. Today, there is global recognition of women’s rights. More girls go to school, rapidly closing (and in some cases, even reversing) the gender gap in education. There has been a sharp decline in fertility rates.

Yet worldwide, women make up the majority of unpaid workers. Only 15% of landowners and one in five lawmakers in the world are women. One out of every 10 births are by mothers ages 15-19, almost all of them in developing countries. Violence against women is still widespread.

It’s time to increase women’s economic opportunity and their voice in decision making.  It’s time to think EQUAL.  You care about getting to EQUAL.

You can begin by sharing your experience. Are men and women equal where you live? Take the poll.

On September 20-21, 2011 the World Bank is hosting our third Open Forum, a global conversation to look at what changes are needed in the world for women and men to be equal.

Get involved:

TAKE THE POLL Do men and women have equal rights?

SUBMIT IDEAS & VOTE about ways “to get to equal”. 

PARTICIPATE IN THE 24-HOUR GLOBAL CHAT FORUM beginning Tuesday, September 20th. The chat forum will be hosted by gender activists, entrepreneurs and academics. Sign up for a reminder

WATCH THE LIVE DEBATE on Wednesday, September 21st at 10:00 EST.  The ideas that get voted up will be debated by experts.

SPREAD THE WORD to your network:

• Write a blog post or news story about gender equality and the Open Forum
• Send an email to your colleagues, community, network, and friends. Ask them to take the poll. 
• Post one of the images below on your website with a link to the Open Forum
• On Twitter or Facebook?  Tell the world “It’s time to #thinkEQUAL". Here are some sample posts:

Investing in women: A tried & tested way to fight poverty. Let’s #thinkEQUAL http://thinkequal.worldbank.org via @worldbank

#thinkEQUAL. It makes economic sense. Not investing in women limits a country’s potential. http://thinkequal.worldbank.org via @worldbank

Women arnd the world talk abt what EQUAL means. Add your voice. http://thinkequal.worldbank.org #thinkEQUAL via @worldbank
 
Do you #thinkEQUAL for women and girls? What abt where you live? Take the poll http://thinkequal.worldbank.org via @worldbank

What does EQUAL mean to you? Take the #thinkEQUAL poll http://thinkequal.worldbank.org via @worldbank 

Are men and women EQUAL where you live? Take the #thinkEQUAL poll http://thinkequal.worldbank.org via @worldbank

It’s time to #thinkEQUAL for women and girls. Share your ideas, join the Open Forum Sept 20-21. http://thinkequal.worldbank.org via @worldbank

It’s 2011. Do men and women have equal rights? It's time to #thinkEQUAL - take the poll! http://thinkequal.worldbank.org via @worldbank

What does EQUAL mean to you? Submit your ideas http://thinkequal.worldbank.org via @worldbank

Do you #thinkEQUAL for women and girls? Take the poll! http://thinkequal.worldbank.org via @worldbank

Women make up the majority of unpaid workers in the world.  It’s time to #thinkEQUAL http://thinkequal.worldbank.org via @worldbank

It’s 2011. And only 15% of the world’s landowners are women. It’s time to #thinkEQUAL http://thinkequal.worldbank.org via @worldbank

Globally 358,000 women died during pregnancy and childbirth in 2008. It’s time to #thinkEQUAL http://thinkequal.worldbank.org via @worldbank

Only 19% of parliamentarians in the world are women. It’s time to #thinkEQUAL http://thinkequal.worldbank.org via @worldbank