Discrimination against women of all ages 'increases poverty'

Unicef surveyed family decision-making in 30 countries around the world. According to the State of the World's Children 2007 report:

1. Equality between men and women is essential to lowering poverty and improving health, especially of children, in developing countries.

2. Inequality at home between men and women leads to poorer health for the children and greater poverty for the family.

3. Where women are excluded from family decisions, children are more likely to be under-nourished.

4. There would be 13m fewer malnourished children in South Asia if women had an equal say in the family.

5. A greater lack of opportunities for girls and women in education and employment contributes to disempowerment and poverty.

6. Where men control the household, less money is spent on health care and food for the family, resulting in poorer health for the children.

7. In many households across the developing world, women are excluded from health-related decisions.

8. Children in these families are more likely to be undernourished as the family spends less on food.

9. Women also work longer hours than men across the developing world, spending much of their time, even when in paid employment, on household chores.

10. In many families where women work, daughters are taken out of school to perform domestic chores and take care of other children.

11. Increasing employment and income-earning opportunities for women would increase women's household power.

12. Women's involvement in government tends to result in policies that are focused on children and families.

13. Women are under-represented in legislatures around the world due to lower levels of education, social attitudes and their greater work burden.

"There is no tool for development more effective than the empowerment of women," said UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.

"Discrimination against women of all ages deprives the world's children - all of them, not just the half who are girls - of the chance to reach their potential."

Read the BBC story here.