I can predict that Pope Francis is gonna be attacked in the commentary on this for just being a celibate patriarchal man who shouldn't be talking on these issues and is a part of a plot to control women's bodies and for not fitting into the neat Western North American culture warrior paradigm people expect him to. 

I have disagreements with the Catholic Church and Pope Francis in it's traditional views on Gender, Sexuality and other issues. However from what I have looked up under Pope Francis women's issues have been discussed and given more prominence at the Vatican(Cardinal Turkson's meeeting of popular movements is one major forum). You combine this with his openness on female deacons and his praise for feminism in the Joy of Love and there is some progress being made, however slow. 

Honestly decades from now i think people are going to look back at Francis's papacy as the moment when the seeds of much needed changes were put in place.....whatever our current cynicism.