Gender equality is smart economics - Women, Business and ...

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Gender equality is smart economics

1

Narrowing gender gap in development outcomes

Higher female labor force participation

More female

parliamentarians

2 3

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Yet worldwide, women have just three-fourths the legal rights of men

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Laws affect women throughout their working lives

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Progress toward equality is uneven around the world

80

69.4

62.5

50

29.4

38.1

26.3

95.1

83.480.1

71.9 71

63.7

51.5

100

93.8 95

91.3 91.9

80.6

88.8

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

High income: OECD Europe & Central Asia Latin America &Caribbean

East Asia & Pacific Sub-Saharan Africa South Asia Middle East & NorthAfrica

WB

L in

dex (

0-1

00)

Min Mean Max

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With reforms still lacking in the areas of pay and parenthood

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Mobility Workplace Pay Marriage Parenthood Entrepreneurship Assets Pension

High income: OECD Europe & Central Asia Latin America & Caribbean East Asia & Pacific Sub-Saharan Africa South Asia Middle East & North Africa

88

79.6

67.4

80.0

54.8

83.8 82.173

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But economies around the world are reforming

IndicatorData points

changedEconomies

Mobility 6 Benin, Fiji, Jordan, United Arab Emirates

Workplace 5 Marshall Islands, Senegal, Sierra Leone, United Arab Emirates

Pay 11 Bahrain, Costa Rica, Marshall Islands, Montenegro, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam

Marriage 7 Chile, Kuwait, Madagascar, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Rwanda, United Arab Emirates

Parenthood 8 Austria, Ethiopia, Ireland, Suriname, United Arab Emirates

Entrepreneurship 5 Bahrain, Jordan, Marshall Islands, Pakistan, Uzbekistan

Pension 3 Bahrain, Brazil, Slovenia

Assets - -

Total 45 27

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Over the last 50 years, all regions have improved but at different paces

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020

East Asia & Pacific Europe & Central Asia High income: OECD Latin America & Caribbean Middle East & North Africa South Asia Sub-Saharan Africa

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Today, just 10 economies score 100

2010

20202012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

0 economies

+ Belgium

+ Luxembourg

+ Denmark

+ Sweden

+ Latvia

+ France

+ Iceland

+ Canada

+ Ireland

+ Portugal

2021

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Governments must take urgent action to close the gender gap or risk worsening the effects of the pandemic

-8.2

-8

-7.8

-7.6

-7.4

-7.2

-7

-6.8

-6.6

-6.4

COVID-19 has led to a larger drop in female employment, selected economies

% of male employees % of female employees

Responding to the childcare crisis

Accessing the court system

Protecting women’s health and safety

Addressing the gendered effects of COVID-19

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Some economies introduced innovative childcare assistance measures during the COVID-19 pandemic

CHINA

Childcare support for

essential workers

ARGENTINA

Paid childcare leave

ITALY

Babysitting vouchers

AUSTRALIA

Free childcare

UNITED KINGDOM

Tax credits

ESTONIA

Exemption from kindergarten fees

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Economies across all regions allowed remote access to family courts

10.0%

16.7%

36.0%

37.5%

62.5%

65.2%

91.2%

0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 80.0% 90.0% 100.0%

Middle East & North Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa

East Asia & Pacific

South Asia

Latin America & Caribbean

Europe & Central Asia

High income: OECD

Percentage of economies

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Governments have also allocated resources and services to mitigate the impact of violence against women

Measure Economy Example

Hotlines In China, the eight-hour domestic violence hotline is now a 24-hour operation.

Psychological assistance In Ukraine, six mobile teams provided psychosocial assistance through Skype, Viber, phone, and online support groups.

Shelters In France, as shelters exceeded capacity, alternative accommodations were found in hotels for domestic violence survivors.

Legal aidThe Marshall Islands offered free legal aid to female survivors of violence through NGOs that

receive recognition and funding from the government.

Dedicated police resourcesIn India, police in the state of Odisha called women who had earlier reported domestic

violence to inquire about their condition during the lockdown.

Livelihood supportIn Malta, domestic violence victims could apply to the Private Rent Housing Benefit Scheme. Applicants received the full

benefit if they were also in a zero-income scenario.

Health carePeru enacted Legislative Decree No. 1470, which stated that health establishments should guarantee urgent and emergency

health care and personal safety for all women and other family members who were victims of violence, especially rape.

Examples of services provided during the COVID-19 pandemic

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Exploring new areas to remove inequalities in economic inclusion is crucial

Accessing childcare for women’s economic opportunity The role of the justice sector in legal implementation

Affordability

Availability

Quality

Enforcing legal rights

Barriers to implementation

Promoting access to justice

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Learn more and take action at wbl.worldbank.org

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