Improve Gender Equality Research Articles

Gender dynamics in agrifood value chains: Advances in research and practice over the last decade

This paper reviews knowledge generated over the past 10 years on gendered patterns to engagement, returns on engagement, and power relations in agrifood value chains. It examines how research has advanced, evidence of improvements in gender equality and women’s empowerment, and the circumstances under which any advances have happened. Gender inequalities in value chains remain significant though they vary by value chain type and node. Over the past decade, research questions have shifted from ‘why’ to ‘how’ women participate in agrifood chains and intersectional dimensions of gender inequality and power imbalances are increasingly a part of analysis, though the collection of intersectional data – quantitative, in particular – is still limited. Research and practice have shifted to include a focus on restrictive gender norms and gender transformative approaches that engage with both men and women. Robust, national and multi-country data on gender relations beyond the primary agricultural sector is scarce, which hinders the tracking of changes in gender relations and inclusivity in value chains over time and across contexts as well as on intersecting forms of inequalities and their impacts on value chain performance. Beyond production node, national surveys continue to provide limited insights about gendered patterns of participation and benefits in different value chains and different nodes such as processing, trade, and transport. Companies have a role to play to ensure that their value chains do not contribute to gender inequality and can use international instruments for responsible business conduct, and gender specific supporting materials that have become available. However, evidence will need to be collected on how and to what degree they do. Voluntary standard systems may have a role to play but need guidance to improve the incorporation of gender equality metrics.

Unilateral divorce laws affect women's welfare.

This paper studies whether unilateral divorce affects women's welfare. Unilateral divorce refers to a divorce regime where each of the spouses can dissolve the marriage unilaterally (i.e. without mutual consent). First, it builds a simple theoretical model that finds that women are better off under unilateral divorce than under mutual consent. Second, it makes use of data from the U.S. between 2003 and 2014 to explore empirically whether unilateral divorce affects the amount of time women devote to three different activities that might be seen as proxies of their level of welfare, such as, housework, leisure and relaxing activities, and personal care. We find causal evidence suggesting that unilateral divorce improves women's welfare. Namely, it reduces housework carried out by women, while it increases their amount of time devoted to leisure and relaxing activities, and personal care. Further results suggest these changes are not due to improvements in gender equality per se. Moreover, we find that the decrease in housework and the surges in leisure and relaxing activities are permanent, whereas the increase in personal care is temporary. These findings are important from a policy perspective to motivate the introduction of unilateral divorce laws.

10.N. Round table: Healthcare workforce crisis: moving the Bucharest Declaration forward, bridging evidence and policy

Abstract Background The WHO has declared the healthcare workforce a five-year policy priority, and the Bucharest Declaration and ‘Time to Act’ Report provide helpful signposts for the European Region. However, the implementation of these policies and the evidence of their impact largely remain a black-box. Because of this fact, knowledge exchange and learning from country experiences about what works, how and why to improve retention, recruitment and equity within and between countries are particularly relevant. Objectives This panel workshop provides a platform for cross-country learning and networking, building bridges between health workforce research evidence and policy. We connect health labour market approaches and actor-centred experiences. With a focus on retention and working conditions, the panel provides an overview of available knowledge, considering scientific data as well as the experience of front-line actors. The panel takes a policy approach and engages representatives of academia, policy, and international organisations, discussing challenges as well as good practice experiences with a focus on problem-solving. The following major questions will be addressed: What evidence is available about the healthcare workforce crisis? How do countries respond to new healthcare workforce threats? What experience is available to improve retention, mental health support, equity and inclusiveness? Finally, how can cross-country learning be improved? The panel will stimulate critical debate and discuss major policy recommendations including: (1) scaling-up efforts to improve retention and respond to the health and social needs of all healthcare workers; (2) improving the skill-mix and developing novel team models; (3) establishing zero tolerance policies against all forms of violence; (4) improving gender equality and protecting women healthcare workers; (5) paying greater attention to migrant healthcare workers and equitable health workforce policies; (6) exploring the capacity building for healthcare workforce solutions through governance innovation. The workshop starts with an introduction by the organisers and a brief overview of health labour market trends and healthcare worker needs. Then four different country case examples will follow along with an international reflection on the policy solutions from the Bucharest Declaration. The moderated panel sets the scene for an interactive discussion with the audience in the second part, aiming to explore new solutions to respond to the healthcare workforce crisis in a more effective and equitable manner. Key messages • Health workforce policy must strengthen retention and support more equitable, inclusive and ‘humanised’ responses to the health workforce crisis. • Action must be taken to bridge research evidence and policy and systematically connect health labour market approaches and actor-centred experience. Speakers/Panelists Niamh Humphries RCSI Graduate School of Healthcare Management, Dublin, Ireland Sara Alidina Department of Human Resources Management for Health, Lisbon, Portugal Marius-Ionut Ungureanu Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania Viola Burau Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark Tomas Zapata WHO/Europe, Copenhagen, Denmark

GENDER INEQUALITY IN WOMEN'S ACCESS TO ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES

Gender inequality is an issue that has long been debated in various fields, including women's access to environmental resources. This research was conducted by conducting a literature review of articles, journals, and other relevant publications. The literature review method was used to collect and analyze information from previous researchers on Gender Inequality in Women's Access and Environmental Resources. Based on some of these research references, it can be concluded that gender inequality in women's access to environmental resources is a real issue in various contexts. Measures to improve gender equality in access to environmental resources include strengthening the role of women in decision-making, social change, and inclusive policies and a gender-based approach in environmental program planning and implementation. Collective efforts from the government, civil society, and the private sector are needed to overcome gender inequality and achieve sustainable development that is just and sustainable.

Menstrual health during COVID-19: How water, sanitation, and hygiene strategies can improve menstrual health and hygiene and foster gender equality

Despite the fact that over 800 million women, girls, transgender, and gender nonbinary persons menstruate, menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) remains a taboo and under-resourced public health subject. Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) insecurity, an issue made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic, plays a significant role in menstruators’ abilities to safely manage their periods. COVID-19 has further revealed how a continued lack of access to WASH resources hinders an individuals’ means to address their menstrual health with dignity. The impacts of COVID-19 have laid bare the many challenges associated with menstruation, intensifying existing inequalities for women, girls, and other menstruators. Mobility limitations and quarantining have created complex obstacles for menstruators while lockdown protocols, border closures, and panic buying have impacted the sanitary pad supply chain. Community and school closures have removed many of the routine ways in which menstruators access sanitary products. Our article seeks to understand how the pandemic and existing WASH systems exacerbated the ongoing challenges associated with MHH, highlighting opportunities for future crisis planning to advance MHH infrastructure, resources, and stigma reduction. A landscape analysis was used to understand how the pandemic affected those who menstruate. Academic, peer-reviewed literature as well as gray literature informed the authors’ understanding of the dynamic nature of COVID-19 and WASH infrastructure on menstruators. From these insights, the authors were able to identify emerging themes and trends that they have highlighted in this article. Water and sanitation programs have the power to improve gender equality and equity, health, and education by investing in menstrual hygiene infrastructure, awareness creation, and stigma reduction. The diversion of resources, and in particular WASH resources, toward pandemic-related hygiene supplies and mobility restrictions, however, have exposed menstruators to sexual exploitation and physical and mental strain. It is critical to understand and address the pandemic’s impacts on menstruators, drawing lessons from and creating opportunities to systematically advance MHH, thereby elevating gender equality.

Codeveloping an Adolescent Health Program in India During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of a Community-Partnered Responsive Feedback Approach.

We describe the responsive feedback (RF) approach experience of a nongovernmental organization, Girls Health Champions (now known as Adolescent Health Champions [AHC]), that undertakes peer education interventions in Mumbai, India, schools to improve gender equality and health outcomes for adolescents aged 13-19 years. AHC used the RF approach at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in light of uncertainties stemming from school closures and the negative impact of the lockdown on adolescents' physical and mental health. Using an RF approach, AHC was able to: (1) understand pandemic-specific challenges faced by adolescents; (2) overhaul its theory of change; (3) pilot new modes of intervention delivery; (4) design a curriculum for parents/guardians and a COVID-19 module; (5) design an AHC mobile app; (6) develop a new, more gender-inclusive name and visual identity; (7) change the overall structure, adolescent-friendly nature, and agility of the organization; (8) and help clarify future directions taken by the organization. Overall, use of the RF approach had significant positive impacts on AHC as an organization, such as changes in organizational culture, deeper stakeholder engagement, and innovation, and was instrumental in AHC's growth, development, and pandemic response. This article outlines the steps of the process, from initial informal stakeholder consultations to the eventual formalization of the RF approach into the everyday working of AHC through the creation of a youth advisory board. We discuss challenges, such as time and resource constraints encountered; strategies for dealing with such challenges; and general key findings and learnings from this experience that could be beneficial to other youth- and community-serving organizations.

Vulnerability and affective solidarity: Feminist assemblies in Appalachia under and after the Trump presidency

AbstractFollowing the 2016 elections, several feminist groups emerged in the U.S. in response to the election of President Trump. This manuscript focuses on a feminist assembly located in marginal and conservative Appalachia. Grounded in reflexivity, we employ affective solidarity to better understand feminist organizing in a post‐Trump rural Appalachian town. Based on a collaborative ethnography, including the National Organization of Women's local chapter members, conducted between 2016 and 2022, we analyze how political engagement has been initiated by an affective response—vulnerability, misery, rage, passion, and hope. By organizing open houses, marches, and voter guides, this group's outreach strives to inform and engage community members in dialogs around women's rights to improve gender equality in West Virginia, a state historically characterized by a conservative, heteronormative, patriarchal, and anti‐abortion mentality. We show how the dissonance between Trump's glorification of these ideologies and our affective responses served as a mechanism for feminist solidarity. This paper uses Butlerian principles to explore how vulnerability and resistance shape a feminist social movement held together by affective solidarity. We argue that responses to threats prompted by the Trump Presidency have been critical to the resurgence of our feminist agency and political engagement where conservative and masculine ideologies impose control over vulnerable populations. This paper advances the knowledge of vulnerability and agency and contributes to the literature on assemblies for political resistance.

Gender equality and green development: A qualitative survey

This research reviews the global development status of gender equality and green development, and analyzes the impact of gender equality on green development and its influencing mechanism. In addition, this research also explores the impact of digital technology on this relationship. We found that gender equality and green development have made significant progress globally since the 20th century, but they still face difficulties and challenges. We also found that gender equality have a positive impact on green development through three potential mechanisms. Moreover, digital technology has the potential to contribute to this impact. Based on these findings, we propose relevant policy recommendations to improve gender equality and green development.

Pinkwashing in the banking industry: The relevance of board characteristics

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)-washing has been commonly applied to environmental practices under greenwashing, while limited research deals with social-washing applied to gender issues. This work aims to verify how banks engage in pinkwashing. We identify pinkwasher as a bank that discloses the adoption of policies that directly or indirectly aim to improve gender equality but performs poorly in such aspects. The analysis is developed on an international panel of 170 banks active in 46 countries over four years, from 2017 to 2020. Results, robust to endogeneity, reveal that banks with a high percentage of women on the board, many independent directors, and a female CEO are less prone to adopt pinkwashing behavior. Also, country factors are critical drivers of pinkwashing, highlighting the relevant role of institutional initiatives in favoring gender representation and parity.

Women empowerment in peer-to-peer accommodation settings: perspectives of female Airbnb hosts

Despite the growing number of studies on women empowerment in tourism, the topic has received scant attention in the expanding sector of peer-to-peer (P2P) accommodation. This paper sets out to explore the perceptions of female Airbnb hosts regarding the ways in which hosting on the platform contributes to their empowerment. Semi-structured interviews with 30 female hosts located in Greece were undertaken, using purposive sampling. Study findings reveal that women empowerment through hosting is achieved varyingly by female hosts, with several factors influencing the process. A framework of women empowerment through hosting is provided to illustrate the conditions, process and outcomes of women empowerment through hosting. Study findings provide significant theoretical insights which may serve as a point of departure for further research into this under-researched topic. Findings also make a practical contribution as they enable policymakers and industry practitioners to improve gender equality, which is essential for sustainable development.

Participatory rangeland management: A vehicle for pastoralist women’s empowerment in Ethiopia

Pastoralist tenure systems are highly complex. Where customary institutions are functioning well, pastoralist women access and use resources as a member of a pastoralist group. Although policy and legislation call for more equity across societies, providing individual titles to women is not necessarily the answer. Strengthening women’s rights within the collective society while also supporting women’s capacities and abilities to participate meaningfully in decision-making processes and hold leadership positions will support more sustainable gender equality outcomes. Participatory rangeland management (PRM) is an approach developed in Ethiopia in 2010 that was then piloted by non-governmental organisations in several parts of the country in a bid to improve the security of tenure and good governance of rangelands, more inclusive participation of pastoralists in decisions pertaining to their lands and improve rangeland productivity. While not an explicit aim, it also sought women’s empowerment as part of the participatory process. A review of PRM implementation in Oromia and Afar regions, Ethiopia, showed that in the majority of cases, women participated equally with men in the PRM process. Women’s and men’s opinions on the involvement and satisfaction of PRM implementation activities were compared favourably. Overall, community members believed that PRM has improved women’s roles in rangeland management leadership and decision-making processes and their access to rangeland resources, thereby encouraging a transformative process of improving gender equality and women’s empowerment in pastoralist societies. This article considers the implications of these results for pastoral women and to what degree they have contributed to their empowerment. A conceptualised women’s empowerment framework is used for the analysis.

Religiosity and Risk: Association of Judeo-Christian Ethicality with a Sustainable Business Environment

Prior research has examined the relationship of religiosity to aspects of business risks, notably, the ethical environment in which business firms operate. Religiosity is connected to economic factors and societal factors. This study examines the relationship of religion-based ethics, specifically Judeo-Christian ethicality, in a country (measured by Judeo-Christian presence as a proportion of the population) to economic freedom, economic activity, gender equality, social progress, and corruption. Modern business firms, in efforts to embrace diversity, accommodate cultural factors such as religiosity, particularly so in multinational operations where diverse religions will be encountered. Findings show that Judeo-Christian ethicality has a positive relationship to factors connected to a society’s sustainable business culture—that is, more economic freedom, higher economic activity, improved gender equality, better social progress, and lower corruption.

KINERJA BUMDESA DALAM PENGEMBANGAN EKONOMI KREATIF DAN KESETARAAN GENDER

The purpose of this study was to analyze the factors that support and inhibit the development of village-owned enterprises (BUMDESA), the role of BUMDESA in the development of creative economic enterprises and gender equality. This study uses a qualitative analysis technique with a descriptive explanation level, namely an analysis technique that describes qualitative data in the form of the development of BUMDESA, the manifestation of the role of BUMDESA in the development of the creative economy and gender equality as well as the factors that encourage and inhibit BUMDes. The population of this study were all BUMDESAs in coastal village tourism objects in Badung Regency, using the convenience sampling method, so the samples were 4 BUMDESAs that had developed and 6 creative economies in coastal village tourism objects in Badung Regency. Data for 2022, in Badung Regency the formation and types of BUMDes businesses vary because Badung Regency is very synonymous with tourism objects and the creative economy in it, including; savings and loans, waste management, cooperatives, drinking water management, organic fertilizer management, and in tourist areas there are rental boats, bicycles and others for tourists. Here the community provides boats, bicycles for rent and is managed by BUMDESA, so the community can be involved in it. The role of BUMDESA in the creative economy sector is manifested in the form of providing capital loan assistance with conditions and low interest rates for Balinese culinary culinary businesses and fruit culinary businesses, so that these culinary businesses can increase business volume and absorb more labor, especially housewives. . Likewise, the creative economy of surfing board crafts can increase business volume more broadly. For gender equality, namely BUMDESA has the role of absorbing labor in the village, especially women so that it provides the same proportion as the role of men in the village. Many women work in BUMDes units and even as BUMDESA administrators so they can improve gender equality

Could Better Jobs for Men Have Improved Gender Equality? The Relationship between Economic Growth and Gender Equality in India

Economic theory suggests that growth may improve gender equality directly by raising women’s employment and indirectly by reducing poverty–thereby causing poorer families to discriminate less against females in intra-household allocations. This paper argues that growth in India has not substantially improved gender equality because it has not sufficiently activated either of these mechanisms. I analyze structural changes from 1982/83 to 2011/12 to show that India’s high-growth period has not been pro-poor. While female employment levels have actually declined since the 1980s, growth has not expanded remunerative employment opportunities sufficiently, even for poor males. This suggests that better-paid jobs for men—by lowering poverty—might actually have led to greater gender equality in India—by reducing poverty-linked gender discrimination. The analysis thus highlights the importance of pro-poor growth, illustrating how structural changes can shape employment, thereby altering the quality of growth and its impact on gender equality.

The Impact of Gender Equality on Green Innovation

Employing a panel of 166 economies covering 1996 – 2018, we investigate the impact of gender equality on green innovation. Our findings indicate that an improvement in gender equality improves green innovation performance. This result is supported by a series of robustness tests. Additionally, we also find that this positive effect tends to be higher in economies with violent conflicts.

The Role of Gender Equality on Poverty Alleviation: Case of Indonesia

The Gender Development and Empowerment Index of Indonesia, which represents the equality between genders, has consistently fallen below the global average since 1990. This concerning trend gains significance given that half of the country's population is female. Relying on only half of the population for economic and developmental progress is suboptimal. Hence, fostering empowerment for all genders emerges as a potentially more effective strategy to catalyse economic growth and alleviate poverty across the nation. This study investigates how gender equality measures affect poverty at the regional level using dynamic panel data by system-generalised method of moments (system-GMM) technique on 514 districts in Indonesia spanning from 2014 to 2020. The result indicates that the Gender Development Index, characterized by a higher average score and lower standard deviation pronounces a more positive effect on poverty alleviation in comparison to the Gender Empowerment Measure. This can be attributed to the prevailing underrepresentation and limited participation of women in critical spheres such as the economy, higher-level management, parliamentary activities, and decision-making processes. Thus, there is a need to reinforce women's inclusion into formal positions and campaign for the participation of both genders in household chores and childcare to improve gender equality. Even small increases in the opportunities available to women and some release of cultural and political constraints can lead to significant economic and social benefits.

A Comparative Study of Gender Disparities in Geoscience and Mining in Mongolia

Mongolian women enjoy equal rights and actively participate in various sectors of the national economy, including the mineral and mining industry. The Mongolian University of Science and Technology (MUST), the largest university in Mongolia, plays a crucial role in preparing engineers for the Mongolian industry. Within MUST, the School of Geology and Mining Engineering (SGME) stands out as one of the largest schools, boasting a dedicated team of 136 staff members. Impressively, 92 of these staff members are female, constituting a remarkable 67.65% of the total staff. The directorial board of SGME, consisting of 12 members, also demonstrates a noteworthy level of gender diversity, with 5 of its members being female. This represents a proportion of 41.67% and highlights the inclusion of women in decision-making positions. Additionally, it is worth noting that the Geology and Hydrogeology department, one of the five departments within the School, is led by a capable female leader. However, despite the encouraging representation of women among staff and in leadership roles, there is a noticeable disparity in the enrollment and graduation rates of students at SGME. Currently, these rates stand at only about 20–24 percent, indicating the need for further efforts to encourage and support female students in pursuing geology and mining engineering studies. Outside of academia, within the mining industry, the Oyu Tolgoi large-scale mine, which in 2022 employed 20,328 workers, faces a significant gender imbalance. Out of this workforce, only 3577 are women, comprising a mere 18% of the total employees, while the remaining 82% are men. Among the 2997 total employees in the open pit mine, 737 women are employed in various roles, including 66 engineers and technicians, with the remaining 671 in other positions. In the newly opened underground mine, the total number of women employees stands at 2840, including 248 engineers and technicians and 2592 in other roles. Furthermore, on the Board of Directors, there are only 2 women out of a total of 23 managers, and a mere 104 women hold positions as senior staff and superintendents. A comparative analysis between Asia and other global regions reveals that female employment in Mongolia’s mining sector in general, at 18%, closely aligns with Oceania’s rates (17%) and surpasses those of both the broader Asian region (13%) and South America (11%). Addressing these statistical imbalances is crucial to improving gender equality in geoscience and mining. Historically, the mining industry has been male-dominated, but women-led professional geoscience and mining organizations in Mongolia play a vital role in promoting the recruitment, retention, and advancement of women in these industries. Recognizing the significance of gender diversity, these organizations strive to increase the representation of women in leadership positions. Women in leadership bring unique perspectives that contribute to well-rounded decision-making processes within organizations. By acknowledging the importance of gender dynamics, promoting inclusivity, and supporting the professional growth of Mongolian women in geoscience and mining, the overall development and sustainability of these sectors in the country will be greatly enhanced.

Understanding Patterns and Trends in Income Mobility through Multiverse Analysis

Rising inequalities in rich countries have led to concerns that the economic ladder is getting harder to climb. Yet, research on trends in intergenerational income mobility finds conflicting results. To better understand this variation, we adopt a multiverse approach that estimates trends over 82,944 different definitions of income mobility, varying how and for whom income is measured. Our analysis draws on comprehensive register data for Swedish cohorts born 1958 to 1977 and their parents. We find that income mobility has declined, but for reasons neglected by previous research: improved gender equality in the labor market raises intergenerational persistence in women’s earnings and the household incomes of both men and women. Dominant theories that focus on childhood investments have blinded researchers to this development. Methodologically, we show how multiverse analysis can be used with abduction—inference to the best explanation—to improve theory-building in social science.

Family Law Reform in Morocco

The research on family law reform in Morocco aims to analyze the changes in family law in Morocco after the reform in 2004. The study discusses child marriage and the impact of the reforms on society, particularly in relation to gender equality and legal protection for women and children. This research is normative-explanatory and explains family law reform in Morocco by using a literature review to analyze policies. The results show that family law reform in Morocco has improved gender equality and provided better legal protection for women and children. However, there are still some challenges in the application of the law, such as changing attitudes towards tradition and culture and difficulties in applying the law in remote areas. This research can contribute to an understanding of the changes in family law in Morocco and can be used as a reference in efforts to improve legal protection for women and children in other countries that have similar legal systems.

A vision to advance gender equality within pharmacy leadership: Next steps to take the profession forward.

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 to 'achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls' aims to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women and girls and ensure their full and effective participation in all spheres of life. In alignment with this, several key international initiatives are making progress towards gender equality in the pharmacy profession. The pharmacy profession must support women and accelerate the progress of women in leadership positions in pharmacy. International and national pharmacy professional bodies can play a critical role in fostering the change required to improve gender equality in all regions and countries. The ongoing development, evaluation and implementation of policies and initiatives are critical to a profession that is increasingly becoming feminised. Furthermore, there is an imperative to deeply understand the gender-based barriers and develop evidence-based strategies and solutions to support women in pharmacy leadership. There is extensive literature and research on gender inequality and its impact on leadership outside pharmacy which could be used strategically for the profession to develop its own evidence based strategic position. Robust initiatives are needed to ensure that women at all levels including women in pharmacy leadership are empowered and encouraged to participate in their profession. This commentary seeks to generate and contribute to the debate to ensure the profession is proactive and deliberate in tackling the challenges that have traditionally impeded women reaching leadership positions and several critical actions as next steps are proposed. Action is needed to improve gender equality in pharmacy leadership and a profession-wide discussion on ways to progress the above proposed actions is critically needed.