Publication Date: 08/27/2002

Description: The ICPD underscored the need to empower women as full partners in sustainable development.In most countries,women are responsible for family health,raising children,caring for the sick and elderly,and meeting basic family needs.Women gather the water and wood for cooking,grow household crops,and tend to livestock. Women are therefore most affected by environmental change.Women and girls account for two-thirds of the yearly deaths associated with air pollution-—two million in all.But with rights and opportunity,women are effective conservationists,efficient producers of goods and active promoters of family health.Ensuring women ’s rights around the world is basic human rights policy-—and good for the environment.