## Chart of the Week: More Women, More Growth

_IMF Blog, March 6, 2017_

## Source details

**Canonical URL:** [Chart of the Week: More Women, More Growth](https://www.imf.org/en/blogs/articles/2017/03/06/chart-of-the-week-more-women-more-growth)

## Other formats

- [Markdown version](/en/blogs/articles/2017/03/06/chart-of-the-week-more-women-more-growth/index.md)
- [Structured JSON version](/en/blogs/articles/2017/03/06/chart-of-the-week-more-women-more-growth/index.json)
- [Bundle manifest](/en/blogs/articles/2017/03/06/chart-of-the-week-more-women-more-growth/bundle-manifest.json)

## Bibliographic details
- Authors: iMFdirect
- Published: March 6, 2017

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### Overview
- Publication: iMFdirect
- Date: March 6, 2017
- Context: International Women’s Day and the United States’ February jobs report are both coming up the week of publication.
- Purpose: Focus on women and work, and the potential economic gains from leveling the playing field for women seeking employment.

### Barriers to female employment (as described)
- Legal hurdles that restrict women's participation in the labor market.
- Disincentives such as lower wages for women.
- Child care responsibilities and related constraints on labor market entry.

### Policy measures to boost female labor participation (as described)
- Invest in girls’ education.
- Ease women’s entry into the labor market.
- Provide child care.
- Offer maternity leave benefits.
- Implement a fairer tax system that supports female participation.

### Economic rationale and findings
- Leveling the playing field for women seeking employment could bring significant benefits.
- Investing in education and lowering entry barriers supports economic empowerment for women.
- Policies that reduce care burdens and improve labor market incentives help boost female labor participation.
- The source frames these points as the economic case for gender equality.

*Source: Chart of the Week: More Women, More Growth (iMFdirect, March 6, 2017).*

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## Content in this bundle

- **Staff Discussion Note**
  - [Staff Discussion Note (Markdown version)](/external/pubs/ft/sdn/2013/sdn1310.pdf.md){rel="alternate" type="text/markdown"}
  - [Staff Discussion Note (PDF)](/external/pubs/ft/sdn/2013/sdn1310.pdf){rel="external" type="application/pdf"}

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## References

- [Speech](http://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2015/09/28/04/53/sp090615)
- [Infographic](http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2017/03/picture.htm)
- [Finance & Development](http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2017/03/index.htm)
- [gender research](http://www.imf.org/external/themes/gender/index.htm)

_Source: https://www.imf.org/en/blogs/articles/2017/03/06/chart-of-the-week-more-women-more-growth_