The World is leading, US lagging: Gender and Development - Women’s Voice, Agency and Participation #economicviolence
The World Development Report 2012: Gender Equality and Development recognized that expanding women’s agency is critical for improving the lives of women, their households and their communities. It is a central component of gender equality, alongside increasing human and physical endowments and expanding economic opportunities. Limited progress has been made in improving women’s agency. In recognition of the need for focused attention, the World Bank is developing a major new report on women’s voice, agency and participation, to be launched in Spring 2014.
The report will focus on five of the many “expressions” of agency where major challenges persist globally: freedom from violence, so that women do not experience this most basic violation of their rights; women’s access to and control over land, which provides security, increases bargaining power at home and in the community and facilitates access to markets; having voice in society and influencing policies, which can advance more transformative policies and programs; freedom of movement, another precursor to women’s full participation in their communities and societies; and decision making over family formation, which can impact women’s and children’s health, bargaining power at home and their ability to go out to work.(emphasis added)
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Also from the World Bank:
New research, prepared for a forthcoming World Bank Group report on challenges to gender equality, shows domestic violence has a significant impact on a country’s GDP.
“This underscores that the loss due to domestic violence is a significant drain on an economy’s resources. Violence against women and girls is a global epidemic, with devastating consequence for individuals, communities, societies, and economies. Addressing this challenge head-on promises to significantly advance our efforts to end extreme poverty and increase prosperity for all,” Klugman said.