A report from the United Nations (UN) Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) that presents data, statistics and analysis to show a picture of women's empowerment in the new century, and illuminate what remains to be done to achieve true gender equality, shows that Sub-Saharan Africa has the lowest levels of achievement, primarily because of a devastating combination of national poverty, conflict and the effects of HIV/AIDS. The report shows that the level of women's representation in national governments has been improving. "The rise in women's share of parliamentary seats is primarily due to special measures - such as quotas - being introduced and is not tied to a nation's relative wealth or poverty."