A Prescription for G20 Leaders: Invest in Girls

Today's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette features sage advice from the leaders of two women's funds -- Heather Arnet at Women and Girls Foundation of Southwest Pennsylvania and Kavita Ramdas at Global Fund for Women.

Among the interesting facts:

The global recession is hitting girls the hardest because they are the first in their families to go without food, to be pulled from school and to lose jobs ... 22 million women will become unemployed, driving more girls into the sex trade.

Arnet and Ramdas also point out interesting data from Indonesia, which is one of only two countries in the G20 with a woman finance minister:

Sri Mulyani of Indonesia, is credited for her work in putting Jakarta's financial house in order by dismantling the cronyism that plagued Indonesia's financial architecture from the Suharto era. Indonesia now enjoys one of the most conservative balance sheets in the world and over 4 percent economic growth -- and Ms. Mulyani is credited for her role as a tough regulator.

What is your advice to G20 leaders?