Even a cursory look at the current composition of policy makers in any region provides evidence that women still face numerous obstacles in articulating and shaping their interests. Various studies conducted by the United Nations in the late 1990s reveal a widening gap between the status of men and women in most societies. Surveys have highlighted an increasing rate of gender discrimination in hiring, promotions, salaries and firings. United Nations statistics indicate that approximately 1.8 billion people worldwide live in poverty and 70% of this population is employed by women. The gender pay gap is recorded throughout the world where the average salary of a woman is equal to 75% of a man's income (excluding that of an agricultural worker).