Many millions of women have few choices in their lives; women bear the brunt of world poverty; and more than half a million women globally still die in childbirth, or of pregnancy-related causes, every year. This book examines different aspects of the reality of women’s lives at the beginning of the 21st century. With the help of statistics, illustrations, graphics and a wide range of personal testimonies, it attempts to answer some fundamental questions about the situation of women worldwide.