Why do microfinance organizations usually focus their assistance on women? And why does everyone benefit when women enter the work force and bring home regular pay checks? While violence against women is one of the greatest and most under-recognized global phenomena, there's a growing recognition among everyone -- from the World Bank to the U.S. military's Joint Chiefs of Staff to aid organizations -- that focusing on women and girls is the most effective way to fight global poverty and extremism. Read on for Saima, Abbas, and Tererai's tales of empowerment.
