"Women of the World" App Released by Fotopedia

The World Bank and Fotopedia have announced a new compelling app for those interested in human cultures around - Women of the World.

Using photos from professional photographer Olivier Martel (who traveled to more than 75 countries to assemble the images), “Women of the World” shows women from every corner of the globe with an emphasis on “their fighting spirit in the face of human, political, and religious events.”

To provide insight into the lives of women from cultures spanning the globe, the software is updated weekly with Visual Stories.

Olivier Martel said, “These topics require a persistent but discrete approach, determination, and a lot of patience. This work is about giving women the opportunity to share their hopes or daily struggles, and give them their dignity in a photographic homage that takes the form of a search for beauty.”

The collaboration with the World Bank is to highlight the #thinkEQUAL campaign that aims to increase awareness of women’s struggles every day around the world.

The World Bank offers an example saying that today more girls go to school and more women receive maternal healthcare than ever. However, only 15 percent of landowners and only one in five lawmakers are women, says the organization.

Jeni Klugman, the World Bank’s Director of Gender and Development, hopes that the application will inspire people to act.

“Much has improved, but in many parts of the world, women's rights and opportunities remain very constrained,” said Klugman. “This inequality is very unfair and it is bad economics. It hampers poverty reduction and limits development.”

“The World Bank has major programs to support girls and women to become more educated, gain better access to health care, water, start businesses and access credit. These are becoming an increasingly important aspect of our work around the world,” added Klugman.

Download Women of the World app (Free)