Earlier this week, I was honored to speak at Working Mother’s Forum on Corporate Social Responsibility and Women. It was a forum full of intelligent, enthusiastic women, all of whom are changing the world in different ways…the energy in the room was electric. 

I was invited to speak about “Women as Economic Drivers” and it’s incredible to consider the power of women in the local and global economy.  Women make up 50% of the world’s economy and 40% of the global workforce—yet they own only 1% of the world’s wealth. This is unacceptable.

But when a society does choose to invest in girls, the return on investment is enormous.The key to improving a girl’s futureis simple: keep her in school. More time in school builds girls’ confidence and earning power; increases the value they will put on education for their own children; and even helps delay marriage and pregnancy until post-adolescence.

From an economic perspective, the benefits of investing in girls’ education are shocking. The Women’s Learning Partnership estimates that for every year beyond fourth grade that girls stay in school, an entire country’s wages rise by an astonishing 20%. And keeping a young girl in the classroom will raise her adult income by about 9% for every year she continues to attend school, according to the World Bank. So it’s not just the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do for countries and economies everywhere.

At Save the Children, we work to meet specific needs of girls and mothers, from maternal health and newborn care to early childhood education and a successful transition through puberty. In many cases, our work on behalf of girls is done with the support of our corporate partners who embrace the importance of investing in girls. A small investment—something as simple as building separate toilets for boys and girls, so girls can continue to attend school during their periods—can make a huge impact for girls around the world.

One thing I’ve learned, wherever I travel in this increasingly interconnected world, is that girls are all the same. They’re silly and excited and curious and smart. And if we want to make the world better for our own girls, we must make it better for all girls.

I would love to know more about how you’re working to make the future brighter for the girls in your life, your community and your world and helping them build a better future for all of us.  What simple steps can all moms take—inside or outside of the workplace—to empower girls?