ABSTRACT
In recent decades, most countries of Asia and the Pacific have made substantial gains in closing gender gaps and equalizing opportunities for women and girls; however, the gains have been extremely uneven, and considerable work remains to be done to overcome entrenched gender biases and gender-based deprivations. In many countries, serious gender gaps persist in access to secondary and tertiary education, quality health care, employment and business opportunities, political participation, personal security, and access to justice. The recent food, fuel, and economic crises, as well as looming climate effects, have further complicated government efforts to make progress on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), including those related to gender equality, women’s empowerment, and women’s health.
