Empowering women: Impact evaluation insights into labor force participation and economic inclusion

Despite significant progress in recent years, achieving gender equality in economic participation remains an aspiration rather than reality for women around the world, as numerous barriers persist, hindering their full inclusion in the workforce. 

The challenges are complex and multifaceted, ranging from violence against women (VAW) to systemic barriers that limit access to opportunities and enabling resources.

As we delve into the results of impact evaluations focused on lowering constraints to women's economic inclusion, it becomes evident that targeted interventions hold immense potential to dismantle systemic barriers and foster greater participation. 

Violence Against Women 

Addressing the issue of VAW, both in the home and outside, is crucial, as VAW not only violates human rights but also has profound implications for women's mobility, their health and economic outcomes, as we know from research in Delhi, India and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The prevalence of violence, often underreported, can diminish women's ability to engage fully in economic activities. 

Innovative solutions, such as the use of technology for real-time data collection on harassment, have shown promise in shedding light on the frequency and nature of VAW and to assess the efficacy of potential solutions. 

For instance, initiatives in urban areas like Dar es Salaam, Tanzania have utilized crowdsourcing apps to measure harassment in public spaces, revealing that women face an incident harassment every two weeks on average. Such data is vital for informing targeted interventions, like increased police presence, which has been effective in reducing severe harassment in places like Hyderabad, India by 27%. The creation of women's justice centers in Peru has demonstrated that providing comprehensive services, including legal, medical, and social support, tailored to the needs of victims, leads to a 10% decrease in incidents and a 40% increase in reporting and prosecutions for gender-specific crimes. Another potential solution is edutainment delivered via TV, movies, radio. Social media campaigns, too, have played a role in reshaping gender norms and reducing the social acceptability of violence against women, as evidenced by evaluations from multiple cities in India.

Yet, the challenge remains to eliminate the stigma and non-monetary costs associated with reporting violence. Developing robust data systems at national and sub-national levels is essential to enable swift on-the-ground response to violence. 

Economic Participation 

In terms of economic participation, evidence suggests that gender-sensitive skills programs and public works programs can significantly enhance women's economic engagement and empowerment. 

For example, in northern Nigeria, skills acquisition programs for vulnerable female youth have yielded positive returns, not only economically but also in shifting attitudes towards female empowerment among participants and their caregivers. However, persistent gender disparities in vocational training preferences within high-paying sectors, influenced by underlying gender norms, like in Côte d'Ivoire, highlight the need for a nuanced understanding of these issues.

Initial evidence from a multi-country randomized control trial on the impact of public works programs on women’s economic empowerment suggests when women, rather than men, participated in public works programs, women saw increased control over household resources, but they experienced temporary backlash from men. Three months after public works programs ended, women retained increased control over household resources and initial backlash from men turned to greater appreciation of women’s autonomy. However, these persistent gains in women's economic empowerment do not translate into persistent increases in women's earnings. Evidence from evaluating a national program of the Tanzanian government, that provided women with a cash-for-work and livelihoods support package, shows women’s self-reported reasons for not participating in income-generating activities. These related primarily to the heavy burden of household chores and the physical intensity of manual work, not social norms, or the safety of the work. This evidence is informative for the design of social protection programs. For example, female beneficiaries may derive greater benefits from the business training and grant component of such programs than the physically intensive public works component. 

The ownership and use of productive assets by women is another area requiring attention. Ongoing studies, such as one examining administrative data on property taxation and gender in São Paulo, Brazil characterizes asset ownership across genders and its implications on tax burdens of men and women and overall economic participation. 

Additionally, the provision of enabling services like childcare and good public transport can have transformative effects on women's ability to participate in the economy. Research from Kampala, Uganda is exploring the potential impacts of childcare services on women's productive and personal lives.

With such complex multi-dimensional constraints facing women, a multifaceted and multi-sectoral approach is necessary to effectively increase women's economic participation. This approach should consider the interplay of various factors, including social protection programs, public services, and the broader socio-economic environment.

Conclusion 

The findings presented in this blog show that challenges to women's economic inclusion and safety are significant, and the path to solutions is complex. 

While progress has been made, significant gaps in understanding and effective interventions persist. Targeted efforts, informed by robust evidence and collaboration between stakeholders, are essential to dismantle barriers, empower women, and foster inclusive economic growth. As we navigate the path forward, an unwavering commitment to implementing evidence-based solutions, amplifying women's voices, and building a world where every woman can thrive should be our goal.

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