According to the McKinsey Global Institute, if all countries match the rate of improvement of the fastest-improving country in their region with regards to women's participation in the labor force, global annual GDP could grow as much $12 trillion by 2025.87 Unfortunately, almost universally across countries, women's labor-force participation pales in comparison to that of men.
Factors constraining women's participation are varied, but include:
1. Skills gaps;
2. Occupational sex segregation;
3. Lack of care services for dependents;
4. Limited mobility;
5. Time constraints related to unpaid drudgery work; and
6. Legal, regulatory and social restrictions.
Well-designed, easily accessible infrastructure and related services can be the key to helping women access jobs and economic opportunities, by both getting them to the jobs (such as through transport or ICT connections) or freeing their time from unpaid drudge work (such as collecting water) for opportunities in the formal labor market. Employment of women in infrastructure sectors, historically dominated by men, provides another pathway for improving women's labor-force participation.
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87 The power of parity: How advancing women's equality can add $12 trillion to global growth, McKinsey Global Institute (MGI), 2015.