“Women around the world work wonders every day”

I said no. I had no time to write this column. Yet, like many women do, I crammed work into the tiny cracks in my schedule: 15 minutes on the train, 20 minutes in the dentist’s waiting room, an hour on the bench during my son’s rugby practice. And, like a small wonder, no turned into yes.

Women around the world work wonders every day. They always have, but the kinds of work they are doing has changed. Women’s economic and intellectual prospects have improved since our great-grandmothers were up to their elbows in the washtub. And in developed countries, women have found space for their ideas in university halls, laboratories and offices. In recent years, the increased availability of childcare has relieved some of the burden of care that disproportionally falls on women.

Yet, while the quality of women’s working life in developed countries has improved in the past century, the road to equality with men remains long and winding. The wage gap between women and men still yawns. Women continue to see few counterparts around the boardroom table. And many women struggle to reconcile their aspirations with regard to work and family.

For women in the developing world, change is slower. Institutions, attitudes and cultural norms continue to suppress women’s participation in the labour market. Girls in many countries can still expect little education outside the house and a life spent labouring for their families. They will sweat through their days with no pay or power to show for it.

Stories like these showcase the extraordinary tenacity and ingenuity of women in the face of adversity. And while they shine their spotlight on the frustrations, achievements and inspiring initiatives of women living and working around the world, they are not just for women. Equality benefits everyone.