World Bank yesterday said that improved job opportunities for women would help alleviate poverty, bridge the gender gap and increase Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
This is part of the World Bank’s recommendations in its “Gender at Work” Report, a companion to the World Development Report on Jobs.
The bank’s presentation was made in Abuja by Matthew Morton of the multilateral institution, saying that policy makers, the private sector and other job providers would be contributing to the global socio-economic agenda targeted at closing the gender-inequality gap if they show commitment to removing all barriers to women and girls’ employment and by implication, adding significantly to the global development values.
“Jobs boost self-esteem and pull families out of poverty. Yet gender disparities persist in the world of work. Closing these gaps, while working to stimulate job creation more broadly, is a prerequisite for ending extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity,” he said.
According to the report, gender equality in the workplace is a win-win situation in many fronts, pointing out that evidence continues to demonstrate both the business and development case.
It cited the research by Booz and Company, which estimates that raising female employment to male levels could have a direct impact on GDP.
The report also reflected that improved female employment has the potential of increasing GDP by 34 per cent in Egypt, 12 per cent in the United Arab Emirates, 10 per cent in South Africa and 9 per cent in Japan.
On the Gender at Work Report, the World Bank Country Representative for Nigeria, Marie Francoise Marie-Nelly, said that in view of recent revelations about the gender inequality in Nigeria’s workplace, the bank was doing a gender review of its development programmes with a view to ensuring that more women and girls are provided opportunities for productive engagements.
She observed that the You-WIN initiative, especially the G-WIN component of the Federal Government, was a desirable measure that could help in bridging the gender-inequality gap in the workplace.
She also noted that in addition to the Fadama 111 and other ongoing programmes being implemented with women and girls socio-economic empowerment, the bank would soon come up with new education and health programmes that will be supporting women.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Chidi Akporji, said the Federal Government has embarked on various programmes targetted at creating jobs for women and girls.
The Minister, she said, is working with key ministries to ensure that the G-WIN opens more job opportunities for women in the country.
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