Interesting Facts

According to a study by Swiss bank UBS, the number of female billionaires worldwide has increased nearly sevenfold in the past 20 years to 145. (In fact, women have outpaced men when it comes to membership of the billionaires’ club, with their ranks and wealth growing at faster rates.  The number of male billionaires has only grown by a factor of 5.2, that said, there are 1,202 male billionaires. I haven't even joined the millionaire club.  Has anyone got a membership card I can borrow?)

According to ONS (Office for National Statistics) figures in the UK, just over 80% of "science, research, engineering and technology professionals" are male. (By contrast, 82% of workers in "caring, leisure and other services", and 78% of administrative and secretarial workers are female.)

Iraq, Rwanda and Mexico each have more female MPs than Britain. (There are currently 146 female MPs in parliament in Britain, but given that there are 650 seats, this is only 22.5%. In Iraq the percentage is 25.2%, in Mexico 36.8% and Rwanda has the highest percentage of women MPs in the world, at 56.3%. You can check your country here:- http://www.ipu.org/wmn-e/classif.htm )

A study by Cranfield School of Management has found that the number of women directors on top company boards has increased to a record 15%, but it is still well below a target of 25% set by the British Government. (There are now 141 women holding 163 board seats in FTSE 100 firms, while the number of companies with no women board members has fallen to 11, but when you cast a wider net, 89% of FTSE 350 firms still have no female board representation. That said, the percentage of board members in 1999 was 6.9%,  so we are making some progress.)

Male mosquitoes don't bite. (Both male and female mosquitoes drink nectar for energy, and the female mosquito is thought to need to feed on blood in order to obtain the necessary protein for eggs to develop. So, the female of the species really is deadlier than the male.)