Gender and Development: Introducing the Gender, Institutions and Development Data Base Johannes Jütting and Denis Drechsler OECD Development Centre Norway.

Gender and Development:Introducing the Gender,

Institutions and Development Data Base

Johannes Jütting and Denis Drechsler

OECD Development Centre

Norway Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Oslo 9 March 2007

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Gender Equality MattersI

Measuring Gender Equality: The GID-Data BaseII

Improving Gender Equality: What Can be Done? III

Next Steps IV

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I) Gender equality matters…

Gender equality = women and men have equal conditions for realising their full human rights and for contributing to, and benefiting from economic, social, cultural and political development.

Gender equality is an important goal in itself (MDG 3)…

… and also contributes to the achievement of other objectives:

- stimulate growth and reduce poverty

- reduce inequities

- contribute to child development

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… but what determines it?

Causalities between development and gender inequalities not clear

2 main schools of thinking

- Modernisation-neoclassical approach

- Feminist thesis

Measurement problems: What? How?

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Main messages

Apart from having an intrinsic value, gender equality is an untapped source that can boost economic growth

Improving gender equality needs to start with changing mindsets

Both messages are relevant for OECD and non-OECD countries

OECD countries: aging population, decline in the dependency ratio, double dividend from gender equality: increasing work force and improving demographics

Non-OECD countries: better human development, higher female labour force participation, more sustainable growth

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Challenge in OECD countries:Reverse declining fertility

Source: OECD (2005)

1.0

1.1

1.2

1.3

1.4

1.5

1.6

1.7

1.8

1.9

2.0

2.1

2.2

2.3

2.4

2.5

2.6

2.7

1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2002

1.0

1.1

1.2

1.3

1.4

1.5

1.6

1.7

1.8

1.9

2.0

2.1

2.2

2.3

2.4

2.5

2.6

2.7

USA

OECD-27

EU-19

replacement level of 2.1

Japan

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More women employed = More babies born

-0.8

-0.6

-0.4

-0.2

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

Cross-country correlation between women employment rates and fertility rates between 1980 and 1999

Source: OECD (2005)

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Previous analyses have mostly looked

at women employment rates…1980 2000

USA

SWE

SVK

PRT

POL

NZL

NOR

NLD

MEX

KOR

JPNITA

ISL

IRL

HUN

GBR

FRA

FIN

ESP

DNK

DEU

CZE

CHECAN

AUT

AUS

1.0

1.4

1.8

2.2

2.6

20 30 40 50 60 70Employment rates of women

Tot

al f

ertil

ity r

ate

USASWE

PRT

NZL

NLD

KOR

JPNITA

IRL

GRC

GBRFRA

FIN

ESP

DEU CHE

BEL

AUT

AUS

1.0

1.4

1.8

2.2

2.6

3.0

3.4

20 30 40 50 60Employment rates of women

Tot

al f

ertil

ity r

ate

Source: OECD (2005)

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…while people’s mindsets are equally, if not more, important.

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Gender equality can be a powerful source of economic development…

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

OECD-TOP EAP-OECD EAP non-OECD SA

GDP pc (in '000) Women in paid labor, non agricultrual sector (in %)

Source: Gender, Institutions and Development Data Base, OECD (2006).Note: OECD-TOP refers to United States, Ireland, Norway, Iceland

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…and can directly impact countries’ growth rates

0

1

2

3

4

Sub-Saharan Africa South Asia Middle East/North Africa

(perc

en

t)

Actual growth rate

Projected growth rate

Source: “Engendering Development”, in World Development Report 2000/01, “Attacking Poverty”, Washington: World Bank.

Growth effect of closing the gender gap in schooling.

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II) Measuring Gender Equality: The GID Data Base

A new tool for researchers and policy makers to: quantify and measure gender equality

build indicators of gender equality

compare the status of women across countries

analyse obstacles to gender equality

Covers 161 countries and has 60 indicators

Includes institutional variables that range from intra-household behaviour to social norms

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Methodological Framework

Political Empowerment (C)e.g. seats in parliament held by women

Social Institutions (A)e.g. Family Code, Physical Integrity, Civil Liberties, Ownership Rights

Economic Role of Women (D)e.g. share of women in wage employment in the non- agricultural sector

Access to Resources (B)e.g. Health, Education

Input Variables Output Variables

Source: Own Illustration.

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GID-Indicators : Social Institutions

Physical Integrity

Legislation punishing acts of violence against women

Prevalence of female genital mutilation

Missing Women

Family Code Marriage before the age of 20

Acceptance of polygamy within a society

Parental authority granted to father and mother equally

Inheritance practices in favour of male heirs

Ownership Rights

Women’s access to land ownership

Women’s access to bank loans

Women’s access to property other than land

Civil Liberties Freedom of movement

Obligation to wear a veil in public

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Social Institutions and Female Labour Force Participation

ZWE

ZMB

YEM

VNM

VEN

URYUSAGBR

UAE

UKR

UGA

TUR

TUN

TGO

THA

TZA

SYR

CHE

SWE

SDN

LKAESP ZAF

SVK

SEN

SAU

RUS

ROUPRTPOL

PHL

PER

PRYPAN

PAK

OMN

NOR

NGA

NER

NIC

NZL

NLD

NPL

NAM

MMR

MOZ

MAR

MEXMUSMRT

MLTMLI

MYS

MWI

MDG

LUX

LBY

LBNKWT

KORKEN

JOR

JPNITA

ISRIRL

IRN

IDN

IND

ISL

HUN

HND

HTI

GNB

GRC

GHA

DEUFRA

FIN

FJI

ETH

EST

ERI

GNQ

SLV

EGY

ECU

DOM

DNKCZE

CUB

CIV

CRI

COL

CHNCHL

TCD

CAF

CAN

CMR

BFA

BGR

BRA BWA

BOL

BENBEL

BGD

BHR

AUT

AUSARMARG

AGO

DZA

ALB

020

4060

0 .2 .4 .6 .8Institutions

Fitted values WWORKING (non-agri %)

Source: GID Database

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Social Institutions: Income Perspective

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

LIC HIC (non OECD) LMC UMC HIC OECD

Family Code Physical Integrity Civil Liberties Ownership Rights

Scale: 0 (minimum) to 1 (maximum) = level of discrimination through social institutionsSource: GID Database

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Social Institutions: Regional Perspective

0.0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

SA MENA SSA EAP ECA LAC OECD

Family Code Physical Integrity Civil Liberties Ownership Rights

Scale: 0 (minimum) to 1 (maximum) = level of discrimination through social institutionsSource: GID Database

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The GID Data Base Online

http://www.oecd.org/dev/institutions/GIDdatabase

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III) Improving Gender Equality: What Can be Done?

OECD countries: Change mindsets Adapt policies to allow better work-family balance Specific instruments: taxes, allowances, leave provision

etc.

Non-OECD countries: Improve data collection and monitor progress Better understand local specificities Ensure effective design and implementation of laws Strengthen women’s voice Communicate benefits of reforms

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IV) Next Steps

Consolidate the data base Data quality and variable selection

Composite indicators

Conduct country case studies

What social institutions impact gender equality?

How can they be measured?

Outreach and networking activities

International organisations and local statistical offices

Advocacy in donor and partner countries