Women’s Economic Empowerment: What do we know? – DCED (2019)

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2019, DCED Synthesis note – 6 pages

This synthesis note gives a brief overview of the most important aspects relating to WEE: the business case, key definitions, constraints and opportunities and impact measurement.

Main takeaways:

  • WEE is a contested term; most definitions include ‘access’ and ‘agency’ as key elements
  • There is increasing evidence that business actions such as investing in care services, supporting women at various levels of the value chain or having more gender-diverse boards can lead to economic gains for firms as well as for the whole economy.
  • There is evidence of successful financial and digital inclusion WEE initiatives.
  • Since social norms play a fundamental role in development programmes’ success, ensuring the participation of men and women across the project cycle can constitute an important first step.