How can we double the rate of economic growth across the planet over the next decade? The World Bank puts forward a much simpler answer than artificial intelligence or any technological revolution – at least in appearance: by finally putting men and women on a truly equal footing in the labor market.
Even without going as far as doubling growth, improving the existing situation would already give a boost to a currently sluggish global economy. “Reducing the gender gap in employment and entrepreneurship could increase global gross domestic product by more than 20%”assures the institution based in Washington, at the conclusion of the 2024 edition of its report “Women, business and the law”, published Monday March 4.
“Today, barely half of women are part of the global workforce compared to nearly three out of four men. It’s not only unfair, it’s a complete waste.”estimated Tea Trumbic, the main author of the document, which has measured progress towards parity in 190 countries around the world for ten years now.
Decline compared to 2022
The World Bank has particularly focused on laws and regulations that could prevent women from entering the job market, or even hold them back compared to their male colleagues. Ten indicators are taken into account: security in all its forms, mobility, work, remuneration, marriage, parenthood, childcare, access to entrepreneurship and differences in retirement.
A few days before International Women’s Day, Friday March 8, the result hardly encourages optimism. They remain less protected than men: they benefit from less than two thirds of the legal rights recognized as the opposite sex. A decline compared to the year 2022, when this inequality ratio was more like three quarters.
Two indicators in particular have set their situation back in the long march towards equality: that of access to childcare and that of security and protection against gender-based violence. The latter area, which covers domestic violence, sexual harassment, child marriage and femicide, is rated the worst overall. The question of protection against sexual harassment is significant: only around forty countries in the world have laws applying to public spaces. “This often helps to dissuade women from using public transport to get to work”observe the authors of the study.
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