Stalled Progress

Abstract

In recent decades, there have been dramatic improvements in certain dimensions of gender equality in many countries, including better educational outcomes for women, higher life expectancy, lower maternal mortality rates, falling fertility rates, larger shares of women being elected as political representatives, and stronger laws regarding intimate partner violence. However, these indicators of gender equality do not always translate into general improvements in labour market outcomes for women or, more broadly, women’s economic empowerment (WEE). This chapter synthesises the findings of research funded by the Growth and Economic Opportunities for Women (GrOW) programme to better understand how labour markets affect gender inequalities and WEE. For instance, opportunities for paid employment are shown to affect the timing of marriage and childbearing, educational attainment, women’s access to independent sources of income, and involvement in social networks. Over time, changes in women’s labour force participation may change norms and gender roles that influence what women can do and what they can become in the course of their lives. These research findings provide guidance to designing new policies that could address the unevenness between women and men related to labour force participation, employment opportunities, and the quality of paid work.