A Focus on Gender Inequality
February 1, 2024
In 2024, more than 40% of the world's population will have national elections.
This fact is particularly salient for the roughly 1.2 billion women who will be eligible to vote. The past century has witnessed a transformation of women’s opportunities, and it is no coincidence that over the same period, much of the world has shifted to systems of electoral representative democracy that mandate full female suffrage.
However, globally, we are also seeing a resurgence of populist administrations that often emphasize a gendered division of labor and limits on individual agency, with women’s primary responsibilities relating to the care economy, irrespective of whether it reflects their preferences.
An economy where half of the population is effectively unable to reach its full potential will likely grow more slowly, overall, than one where women can compete in the labor market on equal terms and where the costs of reproductive labor are collectively shared.
EGC researchers are exploring a more comprehensive and inclusive vision of growth. In this context, the 2023 Annual Report has a thematic focus on gender inequality. We invite you to read about this work – as well as the EGC community’s research, programming, teaching, and mentoring across a broad range of areas of international development. Please feel to free email us at egc@yale.edu with any thoughts or suggestions on our priorities and direction in the coming years.
Rohini Pande Aishwarya Lakshmi Ratan
Henry J. Heinz II Professor of Economics Deputy Director, Economic Growth Center
Director, Economic Growth Center
