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1. Women’s Work Amid Fragility and Conflict: Key Patterns + Constraints

Author:
Yvonne Quek
Publication Date:
02-2019
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security (GIWPS)
Abstract:
Investing in women’s economic empowerment is at the forefront of the global agenda, as recognized by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the United Nations secretary-general’s High-Level Panel (HLP) on Women’s Economic Empowerment, and more recently the G7 summit in Canada. The importance of women’s economic empowerment is increasingly accepted, but inclusive progress can only be made if attention is paid to empowering women in the most fragile and conflict-affected settings. Globally, about 264 million women live in the 36 countries classified as fragile and conflict affected (FCA) by the World Bank Group’s annual “Harmonized list of fragile situations.” These women face cross-cutting challenges of poverty, gender-based violence, and discriminatory norms. Evidence shows that they are more likely than men to experience displacement or have their education interrupted, and that they have less access than men to employment and income opportunities. Our analysis, while limited by data constraints, suggests that women’s economic opportunities in FCA settings are restricted on multiple fronts, with worse outcomes in countries in protracted conflict.
Topic:
Economics, Women, Conflict, and Empowerment
Political Geography:
Global Focus

2. Advancing Women’s Work Amid Fragility and Conflict: What Works

Author:
Yvonne Quek
Publication Date:
02-2019
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security (GIWPS)
Abstract:
It is widely recognized that advancing women’s economic empowerment is central to gender equality, economic growth, and the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Multilateral institutions, nonprofit organizations, development finance institutions, and governments have engaged in a range of programs to promote women’s economic empowerment. Existing types of interventions that address women’s economic empowerment include increasing girls’ financial inclusion and access to education, enhancing their livelihoods through skills-based training, and reforming discriminatory laws for women to gain access to land, employment, inheritance, and property. This study builds on a companion paper that sets out what we know about the current status and patterns of women’s economic opportunities in fragile and conflict-affected countries (FCA). It aims to provide insights into which interventions have worked or hold promise in increasing women’s economic opportunities. Based on a number of systematic reviews examining the effectiveness of interventions in low- and middle-income countries, we find that technical and vocational training—paired with some kind of internships, life-skills training, or cash transfers—can be effective in increasing women’s employability and income. However, the implementation of such programs can be costly, and measures of effectiveness are mixed.
Topic:
Women, Economy, Conflict, Empowerment, and Fragility
Political Geography:
Global Focus

3. Women’s Financial Inclusion and Economic Opportunities in Fragile and Conflict-Affected States: An overview of challenges and prospects

Author:
Jeni Klugman and Yvonne Quek
Publication Date:
02-2019
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security (GIWPS)
Abstract:
It is well established that women’s participation is essential for growing economies—and that inclusive growth is critical to creating sustainable peace. Yet women face the most severe economic exclusion in fragile and conflict-affected countries—precisely the nations that critically need their participation. This GIWPS report focuses on financial inclusion as an important tool to economically empower women and speed the pace of recovery after conflict. The report, supported by Bank of America, is the first in a series of Georgetown research studies on advancing women’s economic opportunities in fragile states. The report describes the status of women’s economic participation worldwide. Only 4 in 10 women are in paid work (compared to 7 in 10 men) in the 36 countries classified by the World Bank as fragile and conflict-affected states. The situation is even worse in countries with protracted conflict. Afghanistan has a 60 percentage point gap between male and female employment rates, and Syria and Yemen both have gender gaps of over 50 percentage points. Rates of financial inclusion – access to formal financial services as well as mobile accounts – are also systematically lower for women in fragile and conflict-affected settings, even though these are the conditions where such access is vitally important. “Financial accounts can be a lifeline for women and their families – and can have larger cumulative effects on the economy,” said Dr. Jeni Klugman, managing director of GIWPS. “Surveys suggest a strong demand for financial services among women.” The Georgetown report suggests innovations to formal financial services to make them more accessible to women in difficult environments. Mobile banking accounts, for example, can expand women’s occupational options and increase their consumption, especially given ongoing infrastructure and mobility constraints. Digitized social transfer payments from governments directly into women’s financial accounts can also be a route to inclusion with multiple benefits. “Emerging evidence shows that the private sector can play an integral role in addressing the unmet financial needs of women in fragile and conflict-affected countries,” adds Yvonne Quek, the Clinton-McLarty research fellow at GIWPS. Future research by GIWPS will focus on what is working to create economic opportunities for women in conflict-affected countries. GIWPS will use case study methods to underscore successful approaches to advance women’s economic opportunities and financial inclusion.
Topic:
Women, Finance, Conflict, Peace, Inclusion, and Opportunity
Political Geography:
Global Focus