Economically empowering women lifts entire families, communities, and countries out of poverty. In fact, it is the best thing we can do to end world poverty. This is not only because women are at a greater risk of being poor, but also because research has shown that women in poor countries are more likely to spend their income on food, education, and healthcare for their children – giving families a lasting path out of poverty. U.S. international assistance policies and programs can significantly increase economic opportunity for women in poor countries. But for this to happen, and for our assistance to reach women as well as men, they must address the unique economic barriers women in developing countries face — barriers like unequal property rights, low wages and bad working conditions, and lack of access to credit. Unfortunately, many of our international assistance policies don’t consider these barriers, and thus are less effective than they could be. Women Thrive Worldwide helps develop, shape, and advocate for international assistance policies that foster economic opportunity for women living in poverty.