Women, Work, and Economic Growth : Leveling the Playing Field

Despite progress, wide gender gaps remain: women have fewer economic opportunities than men, more men than women work in most countries, and women often get paid less for similar work. As a result, the tremendous potential economic contribution from women remains untapped in a number of countries. Gender equity is in itself an important social objective, but the lack of it also imposes a heavy economic cost because it hampers productivity and weighs on growth. Gender inequality also has a number of other adverse macroeconomic consequences, such as higher income inequality and lower economic diversification.

This book by the IMF analyzes various linkages and interconnections between gender inequality and the macroeconomy.