A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to see Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, a documentary film about Fred Rogers. Through most of the film, I was misty-eyed and by the end I was sobbing. The tears flowed with a sharp twinge of nostalgia as I remembered the songs, characters, and messages of the Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood show that imprinted my childhood. The tears also streamed from an unexpressed sadness that I and others have been carrying for some time — a sadness that we are losing this kind of “neighborliness”, losing this sort of kindness from our society.

For the past 25+ years, I have served as a human rights advocate in various contexts and on various issues. Throughout these years of studying human rights concerns worldwide, I have confirmed that addressing human rights issues requires specifically addressing issues affecting women. That is because human rights abuses disproportionately and generationally impact women and, in turn, their communities. But when human rights are realized among women, it has an exponentially positive impact on children, the elderly, men, and the community. Based on this understanding, it is important to consider the current status of women worldwide and how we as individuals can best advocate for women throughout the globe. The following summarizes some key indicators of the political, economic, and social status of women worldwide and highlights ways to provide advocacy for women in our communities and around the globe.