Publication: Women in Vanuatu : Analyzing Challenges to Economic Participation

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Date
2009
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Published
2009
Author(s)
Bowman, Chakriya
Cutura, Jozefina
Ellis, Amanda
Manuel, Clare
Abstract
Women's contributions to poverty reduction, economic growth, and private sector development are increasingly recognized globally. A growing amount of research demonstrates the link between women's empowerment and societal well-being. Yet research also indicates that woman's economic contributions continue to lag behind their achievements in health and education, and a variety of barriers still prevent women in many parts of the world from fully contributing to the economy. Women in Vanuatu: analyzing challenges to economic participation is a step toward filling this gap, spurred by the growing recognition in Vanuatu and the broader pacific region of the need to better address gender inequalities. The publication presents a comprehensive analysis of institutional, legal, and regulatory barriers to women's full economic participation in Vanuatu and proposes measures to address these to ensure a level playing field for both women and men. This work has been a collaborative effort between Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and the World Bank's Gender Group, in partnership with International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Foreign Investment Advisory Service (FIAS). A number of the study's recommendations, which emerged from consultations with representatives of the government, the private sector, and civil society in Vanuatu, are being addressed in World Bank Group regional programming going forward.
Citation
Bowman, Chakriya; Cutura, Jozefina; Ellis, Amanda; Manuel, Clare. 2009. Women in Vanuatu : Analyzing Challenges to Economic Participation. Directions in Development ; private sector development. © World Bank. http://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/2624 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.
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