Low female labor force participation, which remains at 49%, is a persistent global development challenge. Yet the law holds a key to unlocking women’s economic potential which, in turn, can turbocharge the global economy. Evidence suggests that at a global level, achieving gender parity in employment and pay could raise the GDP per capita by as much as 20 percent.

The World Bank’s Women, Business and the Law (WBL) report and data unveil the global state of women’s rights. Beyond analyzing laws – de jure – they also examine the existence of mechanisms supporting the implementation of laws and gauge experts’ opinions on the outcome of the law for women – de facto. The report can – and has – highlighted persistent legal and policy barriers that hold women back from participating in the labor force.

The session will discuss examples of how the World Bank and WBL data have driven legal reforms advancing female labor force participation in Azerbaijan, Egypt, and Sierra Leone. In addition, the session will cover the role of legal practitioners in contributing their expertise to WBL’s research and how they may use the data in their own initiatives to advance both equality and economic growth in their countries.

Opening Remarks:

Christopher Stephens, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, World Bank Group

Speakers:

Sahar Albazar, Member of Parliament, Arab Republic of Egypt

Nato Kurshitashvili, Senior Transport Specialist, World Bank Group

Smriti Seth, Senior Economist, World Bank Group

Nahla Zeitoun, Senior Social Protection Specialist, World Bank Group

Moderator:

Tea Trumbic, Manager, Women, Business and the Law, World Bank Group

Resources:

 

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