“It is known that kids get a lot of their value and learn a lot of their value by seeing themselves reflected in culture, and absorbing the message that comes across in the media. That message seems to be that women are less significant and valued.” 

Partnering with UNIFEM, Davis brought her research and personality to the U.N. for the second time in the past five months, this time speaking at the launch of the UNESCO high segment, which runs today through July 2.

Davis was also joined by Michelle Bachelet, former President of Chile, United Nations Development Program Administrator Helen Clark, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and ECOSOC President Hamidon Ali, all of whom also touched on the central issue of gender equality.

“All MDGs are dependent upon women having a greater say in their own development,” Ali said in his opening remarks. This year’s focus specifically “allows us to strengthen the linkages between gender equality, women’s human rights and non-discrimination as a basis for progress in development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals.” 

This is only the latest of recent international forums and dialogues to highlight the connection between empowerment of women and girls – as demonstrated through equal access to education, employment, health care and governance, as well as the eradication of discrimination and violence, including sexual violence – and sustainable development.

The Secretary General highlights this linkage in his latest report, “Current global and national trends and challenges and their impact on gender equality and empowerment of women,” which was released today. It reiterates how progress in reducing poverty and food insecurity will “remain elusive unless significant progress worldwide in advancing women’s economic and social empowerment and strengthening women’s rights is made.” 

Before the onset of food insecurity and food price hikes over the past few years, women were already estimated to constitute 60 percent of the world’s hungry. Yet it’s found that when women farmers are given access to land, credit, equipment and other resources, they are more “productive than men,” the report shows, and make a “substantial contribution” to poverty reduction and sustainable development.

Women are also known to be the responsible borrowers and investors of microfinance loans, and to reap the most financial growth from them – benefiting themselves, their families and their communities as a whole.

Investing in women pays in multifaceted manners, and will continue to do as the financial and economic crisis still stands to stall progress toward poverty reduction. Between 47 and 84 million more people are estimated to remain poor or to fall into extreme poverty as a result of these financial and economic crises, which chiefly affect women, representing 70 percent of the world’s poor.

While Davis does not work in developing nations that the MDGs primarily stand to impact, her research has a ripple effect across the globe, she says.

“My goal is to impact what children first see, and to show kids men and women, boys and girls, sharing the sand box,” the actress and model explained. “That it is entirely normal and natural to be doing a variety of things.” 

If girls internalize that concept from a young age, Davis says she hopes, it could stay with them through their lives, paving the way for a more ambitious and possible future.  

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