By Leanne Rios, United Nations Development Programme
Sixty percent of the world's poorest people are women, and almost two-thirds in the developing world work in the informal sector – a sector of the economy that is not monitored or taxed by the government (e.g. domestic help and vendors). Although the informal sector contributes significantly to a country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), because it is not monitored by the government, it is often neglected in terms of physical infrastructure, social insurance, and safety regulations.
A woman taking part in a UNDP-supported handicrafts training program for women of female-headed households. Seven new skills including painting, patchwork, beads and glass casting were introduced, as well as providing trainings in various employment skills including agriculture and fish farming. | Photo Credit: UNDP Egypt
Many of the women in the informal sector are single heads of households with zero collateral. In order to care and provide for their families, they must often carry the physically taxing and challenging domestic burden alone. A full day of activities such as tilling land, grinding grain, collecting and carrying water must often take place before a mother can even do laundry and cooking for her family.
Despite this back-breaking work, the shocking truth is that although women comprise more than 50 percent of the world's population, they own a mere one percent of the world's wealth. To exacerbate this, by law or social norms, in many countries women are not allowed to own property or vote. And should their spouse die, in some cases, they are required to marry another member of the family, or become subject to homelessness, slavery or prostitution. Around the world, girls account for the majority of children not enrolled in school and – despite greater parliamentary participation – women are still out-numbered four-to-one in governments.
And yet, according to the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) 2014 Human Development Report (HDR), almost all countries have improved human development over the past few decades with billions now doing substantially better than before. For example, life expectancy at birth has increased due to lower infant and child mortality in part because women have better access to education, healthcare and nutrition. But the HDR also reports that we are seeing progress slow – worryingly so. Could it be because women are still not receiving equal opportunities?
Human development is about equal life chances for all. When women have equal access to key services and programs, they are key factors in reducing poverty. They are more likely to have a higher level of education, resulting in access to more formalized and better paying employment. As such, they generally participate in business and economic decision-making, have greater access to land, jobs and financial resources, and are better equipped to raise healthy families. Gaining access to equal opportunities, women's increased earning power enhances control over decision-making in the household and within the community.
Gender equality and women's empowerment is central in the final push to achieving the Millennium Development Goals and in creating any international framework that may succeed them. To help increase the status of women, UNDP works collaboratively with both international (such as UN Women) and national partners in over 170 countries to: include women in planning, budgeting, and policy-making processes in a meaningful way; promote women's and girls' economic rights and opportunities; and, ensure that essential public services like health and education, benefit women, men, girls and boys equitably.
It is simple: Investing in women is the best way to ensure long-term prosperity. Turning vulnerability into sustainable futures through equal opportunities will help break the global poverty cycle many women face.
Leanne Rios recently joined the United Nations Development Programme Washington Representation Office where she serves as the Communications Specialist. Prior to this post, she was in Afghanistan working with UNDP on rural development which included building capacity for – and empowering – women.
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