gender equality is smart economics - women, business and
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1WOMEN, BUSINESS AND THE LAW 2021 | WBL.WORLDBANK.ORG
2WOMEN, BUSINESS AND THE LAW 2021 | WBL.WORLDBANK.ORG
Gender equality is smart economics
1
Narrowing gender gap in development outcomes
Higher female labor force participation
More female
parliamentarians
2 3
3WOMEN, BUSINESS AND THE LAW 2021 | WBL.WORLDBANK.ORG
Yet worldwide, women have just three-fourths the legal rights of men
4WOMEN, BUSINESS AND THE LAW 2021 | WBL.WORLDBANK.ORG
Laws affect women throughout their working lives
5WOMEN, BUSINESS AND THE LAW 2021 | WBL.WORLDBANK.ORG
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
9WOMEN, BUSINESS AND THE LAW 2021 | WBL.WORLDBANK.ORG
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
10WOMEN, BUSINESS AND THE LAW 2021 | WBL.WORLDBANK.ORG
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
11WOMEN, BUSINESS AND THE LAW 2021 | WBL.WORLDBANK.ORG
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
12WOMEN, BUSINESS AND THE LAW 2021 | WBL.WORLDBANK.ORG
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
14WOMEN, BUSINESS AND THE LAW 2021 | WBL.WORLDBANK.ORG
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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