This wide-ranging collection analyzes the status and advancement of women both in a national context and collectively on a global scale, as a powerful social force in a rapidly evolving world. The countries studied-China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Egypt, Cameroon, South Africa, Italy, France, Brazil, Belize, Mexico, and the United States-represent a cross-section of economic conditions, cultural and religious traditions, political realities, and social contexts that shape women’s lives, challenges, and opportunities. Psychological and human rights perspectives highlight worldwide goals for equality and empowerment, with implications for today’s girls as they become the next generation of women. Throughout these chapters, women’s lived experience is compared and contrasted in such critical areas as:

Home and work lives

Physical, medical, and psychological issues

Safety and violence

Sexual and reproductive concerns

Political participation and status under the law

Impact of technology and globalism

Country-specific topics

Women’s Evolving Lives is a forward-facing reference for psychology professionals of varied disciplines, as well as for colleagues in other fields, including women’s and gender studies, sociology, anthropology, international studies, and education. The wide scope of concerns also makes this anthology relevant and instructive to readers in diverse non-academic settings.