economic empowerment - PBS

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“A community can never fly, a family cannever fly, if one of its wings is broken.”–Zainab Salbi, Founder of Women forWomen International University HospitalBenefits of EconomicEmpowermentA growing body of research shows that enhancing women’s economic opportunitiesplays a critical role in reducing poverty as well as gender-based discrimination and violence,improving women and girls’ access to education and civic participation, and raisingthe quality of life for future generations. When women are in charge of their financial destinies,income, and capital – such as land and livestock – they gain more control over theirown lives and personal security and as a result have greater access to decision-makingand leadership roles in their homes and communities. Women are also consistently morelikely to reinvest profits back into their families, which — in addition to improving their ownchildren’s nutrition, health, and education – contributes to the economic growth and securityof their communities and countries.Barriers to Women’s Economic Security• Financial dependence. Women who are denied the opportunity to earn and control theirown income and participate in important decisions regarding their personal finances andthe economic security of their families are at greater risk of poverty and domestic violenceand are more vulnerable to reproductive and maternal health challenges.• Limited participation in the workforce. Worldwide, women are more likely to be relegatedto work in the informal sector (such as domestic services and child care) wherewages are unregulated and workers lack basic rights and job security. Women who workin the formal sector are more likely to experience discrimination and occupy fewer leadershipand decision-making positions than their male co-workers.• Unequal pay. Despite doing the majority of the world’s work, women earn on averagebetween 10 and 30 percent less than men. According to a 2009 report by the U.S.Census Bureau, women who work full-time, year-round earn on average 23 percent lessthan men who work comparable hours.• Child care. Traditional gender roles limit women’s ability to participate equally with menat work and also limit men’s responsibility for child care and unpaid work duties.• Access to land. Women’s ability to own and inherit land is limited or denied in manycountries as a result of social and cultural traditions, legal restrictions, and the lack ofinformation and education available to women.Discussion guide // economic empowerment12
“The mothers are the key to gettingtheir family out of poverty.”–Ingrid Munro, Jamii BoraWhat is Needed?Women have an essential role to play in the global campaign to eradicate poverty, butprogress on women’s economic empowerment continues to be slow and uneven. Limitedaccess to land and property, housing, credit, technology, and markets has underminedwomen’s livelihoods and restricted their ability to benefit from the economic growth theyhelp to generate. The following strategies have been identified as critical to ensuringwomen’s economic empowerment:• Promote equal opportunities for women in employment and tackle gender-baseddiscrimination in all areas of the public sphere.• Support professional development programs that target women and girls and provideleadership training and mentorship.• Provide resources and enact policies that support women who are juggling paid workand family responsibilities and provide support for men, such as paternity leave, so theycan take a greater role in child care and domestic tasks.• Increase the number of women entrepreneurs and the size of their businesses by givingthem greater access to financial services such as microfinancing, training, technicalassistance, and networking to share best practices.• Improve women’s access to a range of financial services — including savings, credit, andinsurance – as well as the right to own and inherit land.• Increase women’s leadership and participation in economic decision-making bodies atevery level.Discussion guide // economic empowerment 13
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economic empowerment - PBS

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