On page 185, Sen makes the distinction of women who are "agents" of change, rather than women who are "patients", and then goes on throughout the rest of the piece to discuss the benefits of agency. It does make sense that women must be agents of change for any change in their status to occur. Sen went into great deal describing what women have done in poor countries as agents, such as acquiring jobs and getting a more complete education. However Sen failed to address how to go about doing this. As Evan mentioned, it is exceedingly important for the institutions of a country to want women to advance for women to actually advance. But if a country doesn't have these institutions in place, what can be done? Sen provides quite a bit of evidence as to why it makes sense for women to be empowered, and explains the benefits for both the men and women of society. But a paper explaining these benefits will not reverse years of societal repression of women. This evidence will not take away the fear women have of their husbands and the male community, nor will it change the view points of men overnight. If it were so simple to get women's rights in the countries Sen is talking about, it would have happened already. This is why I think Sen is wrong in discrediting the importance of being a "patient". In the Lewis piece we read for Monday, Lewis talks about the need to get women involved in government, so that institutional change can take place at a governmental level. I agree that this is a great way to start the process of empowerment for women. But for this to happen, as he explains, men in many international organizations like the UN need to start appointing women into more powerful positions. Women need to first be treated as patients until they have enough of a voice to become agents. So while I agree with Sen, that the agency of women will be necessary for both equal rights and the development of a country, it must first be recognized that this cannot be done unless the women of underdeveloped countries are given help by the international community. Women need to see a clear way to become agents of change before they will actually become them.