UN reveals women's torment

Violence against women is a worldwide problem

One in three woman in the world has been beaten, coerced into sex or abused in some other way, most often by someone she knows according to a new UN report.

The annual survey into the state of world population, says that violence against women and girls remains "firmly rooted" in all cultures around the world.

"Women can expect discriminatory behaviour from the cradle to the grave" says Alex Marshall, editor of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) report.

The report found systematic discrimination against women in the access they have to basic human rights like education and healthcare.

As well as being subjected to violence and abuse, women are denied equal employment opportunities and have to confront courts and legal systems that are biased against them.

But while the social costs to the individuals involved are enormous, the UNFPA, argues that gender discrimination also cripples national economic growth.

Other findings from the report:

80 million unwanted pregnancies a year

500,000 maternal deaths annually in developing countries

20 million unsafe abortions carried out each year

Female genital mutilation (FGM) affects 100 million women and girls annually

60 million girls "missing" due to sex-selective abortions and infanticide

up to 5,000 women and girls are the victims of so-called "honour" killings

Health crisis

Discrimination against women has also helped fuel the HIV/AIDS epidemic, which is exacting enormous costs on countries, especially in Africa.

Women often have less control over when, where and whether sex takes place.

In some countries, it is estimated that the HIV/AIDS pandemic has reduced per capita gross domestic product by 0.5 per cent per annum.

Economic cost

Inequality between men and women is also a major concern for developed economies.

The World Bank estimates that in industrialised countries sexual assault and violence take away almost one in five healthy years of life of women aged between 15-44.

In the United States, gender inequality costs employers an $4 billion per year through absenteeism, increased health care expenses, higher staff turnover and lower productivity.

In Canada, annual health-related costs of violence against women are estimated at $900 million.

Education denied

The lack of equal access to education is also hampering economic development.

Two thirds of the 300 million children world-wide without access to education are girls, and two thirds of the world's 880 million illiterate adults are women.

Educating girls makes sound economic sense

Investing in education pays huge economic and social dividends.

It has been estimated that a 1% increase in female secondary schooling results in a 0.3% rise in economic growth.

Economic advances in the "tiger economies" of South East Asia during the 1980's were directly attributable to the better educational opportunities enjoyed by women in those countries since the 1960's.

Action needed

The UNFPA urges governments to take fundamental decisions on issues of gender inequality.

As major employers in their own right, governments can lead by example and be a powerful force for social change.

Making harmful discrimination and violence visible to policy makers and family members, and designing ways to end it, are urgent human rights and development priorities, the report concludes.