Around the world millions of women and girls lack access to nutrition, education, legal freedom, and healthcare — perpetuating the cycle of poverty. We invite you to join World Vision in praying for the challenges that keep women and girls from reaching their full potential.
Illustrations by Owen Gatley
sources: UNICEF, UNESCO, U.N., and USAID
  • Neonatal mortality accounts for almost 40 percent of deaths among an estimated 9.7 million children younger than 5. Ask God to protect baby girls, providing them with the support and resources they need to grow strong and healthy.
  • Two out of three out-of-school children worldwide are girls. Nearly two-thirds of the world’s 796 million illiterate adults are female. Pray for parents to see the wisdom of sending their daughters to school, and ask God to honor the desire of girls’ hearts to become educated. Thank God that more girls around the world are attending primary and secondary schools.
  • Every year, an estimated 10 million girls become teenage brides, hindering their chances of attending school and exposing them to an increased risk of sexual and domestic violence. Ask God to provide parents with the resources they need to resist offering their young daughters in marriage to older men. Pray also for the release of girls who are trapped and abused in the commercial sex trade or in child labor.
  • Women in sub-Saharan Africa collectively spend about 40 billion hours a year collecting water. Pray for women and girls who spend hours each day transporting sometimes unclean water to their homes. Ask God to protect them on these treks and to bless the work of organizations that provide clean water to communities.
  • Women work nearly two-thirds of the world’s working hours, yet earn only 10 percent of the world’s income. Educated women re-invest 90 percent of their income in their family; men re-invest 30 to 40 percent. Pray for women to be equipped to start their own businesses and gain positive influence in family decision-making so family members can live healthier lives. Bring to God the hope that all cultures will more fully recognize the value and rights of women and girls.
  • More than 350,000 women die each year due to complications from pregnancy or childbirth, and 99 percent are in developing countries. Most deaths can be prevented with access to proper nutrition and medical care. Pray for the health of pregnant women, especially those who face the risks of childbirth without doctors or midwives.
sources: UNICEF, UNESCO, U.N., and USAID