This report defines gender equality in terms of equality of opportunity (including equality of rewards for work and equality in access to human capital and other productive resources that enable economic activity), equality of voice; the ability to take actions that impact individuals and households and finally, equality under the law in terms of the structures and legislations in place.
While disparities in basic rights ;in schooling, credit, and jobs; or in the ability to participate in public life take their most direct toll on women and girls, the full costsof genderinequality ultimately harm everyone.Evidence brought together in research done and quoted in this report shows this unambiguously.A central messageis clear: ignoring gender disparities comes at great cost-to people'swell-beingand to countries'abilitiesto growsustainablyt,o govern effectivelya,ndthustoreducepoverty.
. Genderdiscriminationhasraisedfemalemortalityratesinsome regions,deprivingthe worldof60-100 millionwomen (Sen1989
What typesof policiesand strategiespromote gen- der equality and foster more effectivedevelopment? This report exam- inesextensiveevidenceon the effectsof institutional reforms,economic policies,and activepolicymeasuresto promote greaterequalitybetween women and men
In no region of the developing world are womenequal to men in legal, sociala,ndeconomicrights, Gender gapsare widespreadin accessto and control of resources,in eco- nomic opportunities,in power,and politicalvoice.
There has been extensive studies done on the relationship between gender quality and economic growth, which shows an unambiguous positive relationship between economic growth and gender equality, there is comparatively a smaller amount of research done to identify if the reverse relationship is true.
Theoretically and