Global Gender Gap Exceeds Previous Estimates, Hindering Women's Economic Empowerment
World Bank ‘Women, Business and the Law 2024’ Report
A 2024 report released by the World Bank Group has revealed that the global gender gap in the workplace is more extensive than previously believed, with women enjoying only two-thirds of the legal rights afforded to men. The latest edition of the Women, Business, and the Law report expands its analysis to include critical factors such as safety from violence and access to childcare, showcasing a stark picture of the obstacles women face worldwide.
When considering legal differences involving violence and childcare, women, on average, possess just 64% of the legal protections that men do, a significant drop from the previous estimate of 77%. The report emphasizes that no country, including the wealthiest economies, offers equal opportunities for women.
A notable aspect of the report is the assessment of the implementation gap between legal reforms and actual outcomes for women in 190 economies. Despite laws implying that women enjoy roughly two-thirds of men's rights, the study exposes that countries have established less than 40% of the necessary systems for full implementation.
Chief Economist of the World Bank Group, Indermit Gill, underscores the potential economic impact of closing the gender gap: "Women have the power to turbocharge the sputtering global economy." Gill highlights the need for strong enforcement mechanisms, pay transparency measures, and healthcare services for survivors of violence to effectively implement equal-opportunity laws.
The report reveals Togo as a standout in Sub-Saharan economies, providing women with approximately 77% of the rights available to men. However, the country has only established 27% of the systems necessary for full implementation, representing an average scenario for Sub-Saharan economies.
In 2023, governments made strides in advancing legal equal-opportunity reforms in pay, parental rights, and workplace protections. However, the report identifies poor performance in the new categories of access to childcare and women's safety.
Women's safety emerges as a critical concern, with a global average score of just 36, indicating that women barely enjoy a third of the needed legal protections against domestic violence, sexual harassment, child marriage, and femicide. Additionally, inadequate laws on sexual harassment in public spaces hinder women's use of public transportation.
Childcare laws also receive low scores, with only 78 economies providing financial or tax support for parents and 62 having quality standards for childcare services. Expanding access to childcare is crucial for increasing women's participation in the labour force.
The report highlights obstacles in entrepreneurship, where only one in five economies mandate gender-sensitive criteria for public procurement processes, limiting women's access to a $ 10 trillion-a-year economic opportunity. In terms of pay, women earn just 77 cents for every $1 paid to men, and discrepancies extend to retirement, affecting women's financial security in old age.
Lead author Tea Trumbic emphasizes the urgency of reforming laws and enacting policies to empower women economically. Trumbic states, "Countries simply cannot afford to sideline half of their population," pointing out that increasing women's economic participation is essential for shaping decisions that affect them directly.