A strong indicator of the health of a country is the status of its women — and that's according not just to philosophers but the United Nations and the World Bank. In fact, the status of women on many levels are key elements of the United Nation's Millennium Goals. In March 2005 the United Nations will take stock of what progress has been made on the Millennium Goals, the 1979 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), and the recommendations of the 1995 Beijing Fourth World Conference of Women. Explore NOW's coverage of women in American and worldwide to see where women stand today. --TALK about gender equality on the NOW message boards

Women in the Middle East: Zainab Salbi talks about women in the new Iraq. Afghan-American Masuda Sultan on the Afghan Women's Bill of Rights. And, Asar Nafisi and Roya Hakakain on women in Iran. Women in America: Is there really a gender gap? History of women and the vote. Hot button issue — the politics of choice. Women, Work and Poverty: Rich World, Poor Women? Where do women's wages stand compared to men's? How much has the glass ceiling cracked? Who is living on less than a dollar a day? Women and Education: What are worldwide women's literacy rates? And, are girls getting all the schooling they need? Plus, a lesson plan on women worldwide for high school classes. Women and Health: Find local women's health resources and get the facts about mammograms. Take stock of the state of world health. How to guard your community against domestic violence. Women in the Arts: Judy Collins talks about her life and work. Explore the art of Frida Kahlo. View the world with women photographers. Meet Alice Walker, Isabel Allende, Doris Lessing and other great women writers. Test your smarts with a women in the arts quiz. Women and Faith:. Bill Moyers talks to former nun and Islam expert Karen Armstrong. Faith and politics from Sister Joan Chittister. And, religious scholar Elaine Pagels. Scholar Aziza al-Hibri on women in Islam. Scholar Aziza al-Hibri and controversial writer Irshad Manji on women and Islam.