ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN IN 2021The APEC Women and the Economy Dashboard measures areas that a�ect women’s economic opportunities. The latest installment shows progress, however, weak and

contrasting policies as well as sociocultural gender biases remain.

SNAPSHOTS: MIXED RESULTS & CONTRASTING POLICIES

CAPITAL AND ASSETS

Women and men are enjoying equal rights

This may provide empowering income security that could impact socio-economic conditions well into the future.

The number of APEC economies with laws prohibiting such discrimination has remained persistently low.

Based on the 2021 APEC Women and the Economy Dashboard by the

APEC Policy Support Unit

The majority of APEC economies continue to uphold women’s rights to property and inheritance

Access to credit is constrained by creditors’ discrimination based on gender and marital status.

To own property To inherit property

JOBS

Women’s access to labor has improved in 2020

21

19

13

10

18

17

Laws allowing women to work the same night hours as men

2020

Laws allowing women to work in the same industries as men

Laws mandating non-discrimination in hiring based on gender

2008

NUMBER OF APEC ECONOMIES

Source: World Bank-Women, Business and the Law

Women and men are enjoying equal rights

Girls are at par with boys in math and better at reading.

PISA results, female (mean performance)

Women’s unemployment rate has decreased together with vulnerable employment

Girls have improved academic performance

Few economies allow women to work in the same industries as men.

No laws ensuring equal pay for women and men doing work of equal value in more than half of APEC economies.

SKILLS

Source: OECD-Programme for International Student Assessment Source: OECD-Programme for International Student Assessment

2008

4.4% 3.7% 2020

2009

Mathematics Performance Reading Performance

2012 2015 2018

483.6

471.2

487.0

472.7

480.4

471.1

479.6

473.9

PISA ratios

Ratio of boys’ scores to girls’ scores in mathRatio of boys’ scores to girls’ scores in reading

1.01 1.01 1.011.00

0.93 0.940.95

0.95

2009 2012 2015 2018

Those under vulnerable employment are less likely to have formal work arrangements, and are therefore more likely to lack decent working conditions, adequate social security and “voice” through e�ective representation by trade unions and similar organizations. (Source: ILO)

Women’s economic empowerment needs to be supported by political empowerment to ensure gender equality in policy decisions affecting access to economic opportunities and social programs.

HEALTH

Maternal mortality declined

The prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age reverted to 17.5% in 2019, the same as in 2008.

LEADERSHIP

Women lack representation in public leadership roles

Women's political empowerment

Sources: Inter-Parliamentary Union: Women in Politics for women in parliaments and ministerial positions; and the World Economic Forum-Global Gender Gap Report for the gender pariity at the highest levels of political decision-making

2008

70 472017

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Proportion of seats held by women in parliaments (%)

Women in ministerial positions (%)

How close women are to parity with men at the highest levels of political decision-making

18.2

14.4

18.8 18.816.1

18.7 19.6

14.3

19.9 19.5

16.2

20.8 21.3

18.7

22.5 23.3

18.2

23.9

19.120.1

15.5

Maternal deaths per 100,000 live births

Fixed internet broadband subscriptions in APEC have steadily climbed

Internet subscription and bandwidth

INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY

WANTED: MORE DATA

On women in private-sector leadership positions

On use of online transactions by men and women

On women who work in STEM

Women are estimated to be underrepresented in the field of research and development (R&D). However, data are incomplete and intermittent so there is no accurate picture.

The little relevant data show that women make up more than 50% of science,technology, engineering & mathematics (STEM) graduates in only one APEC economy.

With more internet users, we can assume more women have online access; however, sex-disaggregated data remain unavailable for most APEC economies.

Being equipped with STEM-related skills has become more urgent amid the COVID-19 pandemic that necessitates quicker and wider adoption of digital technologies to conduct daily activities.

Source: International Telecommunication Union

Fixed internet broadband subscriptions (per 100 inhabitants, left scale)

Internet users (% of total population, left scale)

International internet bandwidth (in Gbit/s, right scale)

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

19

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

14,000

12,000

10,000

8,000

6,000

4,000

2,000

00

32

21

36

24

41

27

44

29

48

30

50

31

52

37

55

41

59

47

62

48

66

527 753 1,008 1,320 1,7152,186

3,036

3,983

5,964

8,673

10,442

11,950

The ongoing pandemic has exacerbated gender inequalities with repercussions

expected to reverberate into the medium to long term if policy responses are late

and inadequate.

Travel & tourism, food & beverage and retail, hit hardest by social distancing

policies, employ women.

Rising cases of domestic violence due to lockdown conditions.

Telecommuting and online learning mean that women face increasing

challenges in balancing employment with unpaid care work.

COVID-19

THE ROLE OF POLICYMAKERS

Enforce measures that advance women’s empowerment

Integrate gender equality in all levels of education

Conduct information campaigns to change mindsets and counter

gender stereotyping

The 2021 dashboard is composed of 95 indicators and is published alongside extensive analysis. Download the full report at www.apec.org/publications