Women In Numbers: February 2016
Facts and figures on females from throughout the world.
51
The number of fashion brands and designers that have partnered with Livia Firth and her Green Carpet Challenge, including Gucci, Valentino and Carolina Herrera. Firth, founder and creative director of the London-based firm Eco Age (and better half to Oscar winner and everyone’s favorite Mr. Darcy, Colin Firth), started the Green Carpet Challenge in 2013 as a way to create a more sustainable and ethical fashion industry. The challenge incorporates sustainable fashion into high-profile celebrity events, including the Met Gala, the Golden Globes and the Academy Awards, which air Feb. 28.
220,000
The number of jobs in the military (about 10 percent) that were unavailable to women until Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter announced in December the opening of all combat unit jobs to women. Now, female service members are eligible to join the United States’ most elite military forces, including the Navy SEALS, Army Special Forces and other Special Operations Forces. Secretary Carter emphasized that “there will be no exceptions.” This means our women in uniform will also be able to join the Marine Corps infantry, which some had advocated against. Thank you for your service, ladies.
15
The average number of people a woman will kiss before meeting “the one,” according to an eHarmony survey of 2,000 people. On average, women are also likely to have seven sexual partners in their lifetime, compared with 10 for men, as well as four one-night stands and be stood up once. Based on the survey results, women and men are both likely to fall in love twice and will live with one partner before finding that Mr. or Ms. Right. Some say love is blind, and eight out of 10 surveyed say they met their ideal partner when it was least expected, so keep an eye out.
29 years
The length of time it’s been since an individual woman was named {Time}’s Person of the Year, until the 2015 title was bestowed upon German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Considered by many to be the world’s most powerful woman, Merkel was chosen for stepping up to Europe’s figurative plate and, with skill, strength and diplomacy, batting away the grasping reach of Vladimir Putin, mitigating Europe’s never-ending debt woes and embracing a humanitarian response in the face of the worst migrant and refugee crisis in recent history. Although American women received the title in 1975, Merkel is only the fourth individual woman to receive the title since its inception in 1929, following Philippine President Corazon Aquino in 1986, Queen Elizabeth II in 1952 and Duchess of Windsor Wallis Simpson in 1936. Cheers, or perhaps we should say prost, to you Chancellor Merkel!
100 percent
The success rate for reaching agreements when women are able to strongly influence negotiations, according to a recent study of 40 global conflict and peace processes. The study shows the participation of women’s groups in peacemaking negotiations is correlated with positive outcomes, and that when women’s groups are heavily involved, an agreement is always reached. Importantly, the study shows success in peacemaking isn’t about the number of women involved, but rather the ability women have to exercise their own peacemaking influence.
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