Legal Gender Equality as a Catalyst for Convergence

IMF Working Papers, July 29, 2022

Source details

Author: Can Sever
Publication type: IMF Working Papers
Publication date: July 29, 2022
Core objectives of the paper:
- Document the evolution of gender discriminatory laws around the globe.
- Shed light on the role of legal gender equality in income convergence across countries.
Central premise: Prevalent legal constraints on the basis of gender prevent women, and thereby economies, from reaching their true potential.

Despite remarkable progress toward gender equality in the law over the last five decades, the legal environment across the world is still far from providing a level playing field for women.
Cross-country gaps in gender discriminatory laws have persisted and even widened over the years, indicating that some countries have lagged behind in repealing laws that act as barriers to women’s economic inclusion.
Based on a global sample since the 1970s, the paper finds that greater gender equality in the law facilitates cross-country income convergence over time.
Legal reforms supportive of gender equality could help poorer countries catch up with the living standards in the advanced economies.
The post-Covid-19 period presents a window of opportunity for such reforms, given the adverse effects of the pandemic on economic growth and gender gaps.

Advance legal reforms that remove gender-discriminatory statutes to promote women’s economic inclusion.
Prioritize actionable legal changes in the shorter term to accelerate income convergence between poorer and advanced economies.
Use the post-Covid-19 policy window to address both economic growth setbacks and widening gender gaps through legal gender-equality measures.