Publication: The Status of Yemeni Women : From Aspiration to Opportunity
Date
2014-04
ISSN
Published
2014-04
Author(s)
Abstract
Yemen is on a path of transformation,
one that can open opportunities for more inclusive societies
and economies, or for greater risk and regression. This
transition period will be especially vital for Yemeni women.
As Yemen moves forward, it should strongly prioritize gender
equality as an important goal in its own right but also
because doing so will be vital to lay the foundations of a
more inclusive country and society. The objectives of a new
report on the status of gender equality in Yemen are
two-fold: first, to take stock of the status of gender
outcomes in Yemen and understand the forces that are driving
the strong gender inequalities; and second, drawing on these
insights and outcomes of the study, to highlight promising
areas for policy action in this crucial transition period.
The report explores how individual aspirations and
opportunities in the areas of education, family formation,
and labor force participation are constrained by the severe
gender gaps in Yemeni society. The report's analytic
approach is unique in threading together three bodies of
evidence and analysis to shed new light on significant
trends and causes underpinning Yemen s large gender
disparities. The report presents: (i) a fresh look at
available survey data on human development and
socio-economic indicators; (ii) a brief history and in-depth
analysis of the most critical legal barriers to women's
and girl's full participation in Yemeni society; and
(iii) insights from a rich qualitative dataset collected in
January 2011. The findings highlight the powerful roles of
social norms and legal rights and entitlements in placing
women and girls at a disadvantage and constraining not only
faster progress on gender equality but also on economic development.
Link to Data Set
Citation
“Krishnan, Nandini. 2014. The Status of Yemeni Women : From Aspiration to Opportunity. MENA knowledge and learning quick notes
series;no. 123. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/20547 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”