How Women Will Change the World The women of Rwanda are behind one of the most inspiring comeback stories of national transformation in recent history. And while their story is dramatic, it's not unique. Indeed, in the field of international development, women have emerged as the not-so-secret secret to changing the world. As former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has said, "If there is one lesson we in the United Nations have learned over the years, it is that investing in women is the most productive strategy a country can pursue" — to raise economic productivity, improve nutrition and health, and educate the next generation.