2.4 billion women lack the same economic rights as men: World Bank

Around the world, 95 economies legally allow women to be paid less than men for work of equal value. This data point is part of a new report by the World Bank that highlights the ongoing challenges to gender equality in the global economy.

“Women, Business and the Law 2022,” released Tuesday, says that women on average have only about three-quarters of the legal rights of men globally in areas measured by the report. Improvements are slow, and for now 2.4 billion women lack the same economic rights as men. Only 12 countries have full equality in areas of the legal system that were measured.

The Middle East stands out as a region that lags, according to the bank. However, the region is making significant progress, said Tea Trumbic, who heads the report project at the World Bank.

“They are recognizing that their economies cannot grow without the full participation of men and women,” Trumbic told Devex.

How it works: The annual report keeps tabs on women’s economic life cycles in 190 economies with eight indicators, such as mobility, marriage rights, entrepreneurship, and pensions.

“The areas that are furthest behind are related to pay and parenthood. … And these are the areas seeing the most improvement,” Trumbic said.

Not all of the tracked laws are directly about women, she said. For example, since the previous report, a handful of countries introduced or expanded paternity leave, which helps improve women’s participation in the workforce. Broadly, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted better child care services “as a significant need for society and not a women's issue,” she said.

Taboo subjects: One challenge identified is reforms related to women’s rights in marriage and generally in the home. Often, said Trumbic, social norms mean that changes are viewed as “sensitive and controversial.” This area encompaseses issues ranging from inheritance laws to domestic violence protections, and it will require more work, she said.