I was part of a diverse group of about 20 women business leaders
who participated in a roundtable discussion of women's economic
empowerment with the United States Senate Democratic Steering
and Oversight Committee on March 21. Following is an excerpt
from my statement: Education is the essential foundation for
women's economic empowerment. Unfortunately, too many girls and
women in the United States, as well as globally, remain under-
served educationally. While some indicators do point to women's
advancement educationally (particularly in higher education
enrollment and degree attainment where women now outpace men in
every degree level overall) other indicators continue to
underscore the need for serious and prolonged attention to the
educational agenda for women: - For too many children in our
cities, particularly among urban African-American and Hispanic
children, the burdens of poverty, parental illiteracy and
inadequate access to good healthcare impede educational progress
and contribute to unacceptable