Some people think International Women 's Day , which comes right in the middle of Women 's History Month , is overdoing it . If `` underdoing it '' were a phrase , it 's the one I would use . On most days in most months , most women and girls are n't able to raise their voices . Because no one knows the challenges they face , they 're forced to face them on their own . On International Women 's Day , however , we make a point of hearing the voices of every woman and girl . Today , we make sure that every woman and every girl counts -- literally . I 'm talking about a project that combines two of my favorite topics : women 's empowerment and data . The media sometimes call Bill and me `` data nerds . '' I 'm not sure they mean it as a compliment , but I wear it as a badge of pride anyway . Data is not boring . If you use it right , it tells the hidden stories of millions of women and girls . That 's why the Gates and Clinton Foundations are teaming up to conduct a global review of the status of women and girls everywhere . Where they 're thriving -- and why . Where they 're being held back -- and why . This initiative is called No Ceilings : The Full Participation Project . The seed for this project was planted in 1995 at the Fourth World Conference on Women . That 's where Hillary Clinton gave her famous speech declaring `` women 's rights are human rights . '' It 's also where 189 countries came together to agree on an agenda for women 's equality . Now , nearly 20 years later , it 's time to check in to see whether we 're meeting those goals . My husband Bill and I used a trove of data to drive our decision making at Microsoft , and we brought that mentality to our work at the foundation , though the data is much harder to come by when it comes to development . It 's troubling that it 's possible to produce precise reports about software sales in Kansas , but we have only rough estimates of how many mothers die during childbirth every year . Why is data an indispensible tool for improving the lives of women and girls ? First , it helps us make the case to world leaders that empowering women is n't just the right thing to do , it 's the smart thing . The data says that women spend 90 cents of every dollar they make on their children . They prioritize things like health care , nutritious food , and education . As a result , a child in a household where the mother controls the budget is 20 % more likely to survive -- and much more likely to thrive . Healthier , more educated children today means a stronger workforce tomorrow . I 've seen firsthand that this argument resonates with finance ministers -- even those who are otherwise skeptical about the need to invest in women and girls . There 's another reason data is so important . It helps us see where women and girls are being left behind , so we know where to target resources . For example , in the Indian state of Bihar , data showed that women were dying during childbirth at alarming rates and giving birth in hospitals at very low rates . In response , health officials decided to encourage women to give birth in hospitals and to improve the quality of care in delivery rooms . Now , our partners in Bihar are collecting data every six months to monitor their progress and adjust their strategies as necessary to keep getting better results . Above all , data is powerful because of the women behind it . We should never lose sight of the fact that every data point represents a mother , a daughter , or a sister . Every data point represents big dreams for the future . On a recent trip to Tanzania , I met women who had pooled their savings . With their shared funds , they bought chickens so they could sell eggs for extra income . When I asked them what they 'd use the money for , they all said : their children 's education . Their investments in their children were a monument to their hope for the future . All of these women could see a better life for their families -- and , as members of the savings circle , they could envision themselves helping create it . On this International Women 's Day , I hope you 'll take the time to learn more about women who are working hard to raise their voices . Pick a topic you care about -- maternal mortality , women 's economic participation , family planning -- and learn about the people whose lives it touches . As you read over the data , remember that the numbers you see tell the story of real women with real dreams . It 's up to us to make sure they count . And it 's up to us to keep the spotlight on them all year long . If we do , then by next International Women 's Day , we 'll have even more reasons to celebrate .
Melinda Gates : On International Women 's Day , make every second count -- literally . She says accurate data is crucial to identifying and addressing needs of women . She says that , Clinton is teaming for global review of women 's status . Gates : Data key to showing world leaders that empowering women makes difference .