Frayed Societies: Decoding the Interplay between Conflicts and Gender Inequality

IMF Working Papers, January 17, 2025

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Paper explores the relationship between violent conflicts and gender inequality in a global sample since the 1990s.
Analysis uses a composite index to measure gender inequality in outcomes.
Considers both interstate and intrastate conflict events.
Highlights implications for economic growth and development, particularly in the post-Covid-19 era.

Conflicts predict a higher gender inequality in outcomes based on the composite index.
Conflicts tend to widen cross-country gaps in gender inequality in outcomes.
Conflicts are associated with lower economic rights for women in legislation, indicating an adverse effect on gender inequality in opportunities.
The associations between conflicts and gender inequality provide a channel for a long-lasting drag on economic performance following conflict episodes.

School enrollment rate by females in primary education tends to decrease in the aftermath of conflict episodes.
Share of seats in parliament held by women tends to decrease in the aftermath of conflict episodes.
Maternal mortality rate increases following conflict episodes.

Conflicts affect both outcomes (education, health, political representation) and opportunities (legal economic rights) for women.
Reduced women’s empowerment is linked to slower economic growth and development, constituting a pathway for persistent economic damage after conflicts.
The ongoing political and security-related challenges across the globe amplify the importance of these findings for sustainable and inclusive economic growth.