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- Home / Introduction
- 1. Emancipating Twenty-First Century Slaves
- 2. Prohibition and Prostitution
- 3. Learning to Speak Up
- 4. Rule by Rape
- 5. The Shame of “Honor”
- 6. Maternal Mortality: One Woman a Minute
- 7. Why Do Women Die in Childbirth?
- 8. Family Planning and the "God Gulf"
- 9. Is Islam Misogynistic?
- 10. Investing in Education
- 11. Microcredit: The Financial Revolution
- 12. The Axis of Equality
- 13. Grassroots vs. Treetops
- 14. What You Can Do
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“The children of sex workers, those living with HIV, or those who have lost one or both parents to AIDS carry the greatest burden and are often isolated from support and care systems. We help them get lifesaving treatment, help them go to school, and put them on a different path.”
—Dr. Lloyd Cunningham, Care and Support Specialist for Orphans and Vulnerable Children, EngenderHealth
Worldwide, there are countless women like Meena. Forced into the sex trade and fighting to get their daughters out of it, these women and girls are vulnerable to HIV and to the violence that defines modern-day slavery. Yet, some efforts to empower women are working—ensuring women and children can access health services and break out of the cycle of poverty and disease.
Our View from the Ground
Public health expert Dr. Lloyd Cunningham reflects on the importance of working with India's most vulnerable populations. In addition, watch a video about some of the people EngenderHealth is helping in India.
Read and watch >
Story from the Front Lines
In ancient times, as a devadasi, Sunitha might have been treated with respect. But not today.
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What You Can Do
Start a book club with your friends and neighbors to discuss Half the Sky and take action—write a letter, donate to a worthy organization like EngenderHealth, or volunteer—or you can do all three!
27 million
The estimated number of modern slaves, according to antitrafficking campaigners
Source: Modern Slavery: The Secret World of 27 Million People; Kevin Bales, Zoe Trodd, and Alex Kent Williamson; July 2009