I attended the CARE.org Powerful Noise documentary last night which was shown in more than 400 movie theaters across the United States. http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/#29528531. I was very engaged by the power of gender equality which leads to economical, educational and political equality and empowerment (among other benefits).

The idea of empowered, educated, economically viable and politically active women having equal say in their families, villages, countries and the world is exciting and world-changing. Many problems the world struggles with now would be tackled in a whole different way. E.g., no more girls sold into sex slavery. Girls would be educated and valued, families would have the income of the working mother and no longer have to rely on selling their daughters to support the rest of the family, women politicians would enact new laws and female judges would hand down equitable, no nonsense sentences to the transgressors.

I believe that microfinance, of which I am a big supporter, is one of the most exciting programs that has been devised in a long time that speaks directly to women’s economic empowerment. And I firmly believe there are many others breakthroughs in this area waiting to be discovered and implemented.

I believe that the power of women’s voices and women’s ability to change the world has barely been tapped. And if it were fully tapped (or even partially tapped), we truly could change the world for the better by focusing on raising up women around the world.

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen