Gender Equality and the Economy

02/16/2007

The Levy Institute is extending its long-standing concern with economic inequality by developing a new program, Gender Equality and the Economy (GEE). While gender inequalities have diminished in some aspects of life, they remain deep-rooted in others. In no country around the world, do men and women enjoy equality in economic and political participation, earnings, educational attainment, general health, and physical security. These gender gaps undermine economic growth and development and are costly to individuals and households.

The program focuses on the ways in which economic processes and policies affect gender equality, and existing gender inequalities influence economic outcomes. Its goal is to stimulate reexamination of key economic concepts, models, and indicators—with a particular view to reformulating policy. It offers a broad view of what an economy is and how it functions, bringing into the analysis not only paid work, but the unpaid work (e.g., caring for families and community volunteerism) that enables the market economy to function. Ultimately, the program seeks to contribute knowledge that improves women’s status and helps them realize their rights, in the United States and other countries.

Research:

GEE research concentrates on three primary themes: gender equality and public finance; gender dimensions of macroeconomic and international economic policy; and gender equality, poverty, and well-being in national and international perspective.

Public finance (which includes taxation, spending by public bodies on goods and services, provision of income transfers from governments to households, government borrowing and debt, and the financial relations among levels of government) has the potential to reduce or increase gender inequalities. Yet, with the exception of public expenditure, very little research exists on the ways that various public finance policies influence gender inequality within and across countries and over time.How much do tax and transfer policies offset market-based gender income inequalities? Do user fees for public services increase gender inequality? Does a greater voice for women in public policy result in changes in the size and composition of government budgets? What are the gender biases of taxation and tax-policy reforms?

In the past decade, a growing body of work has explored how macroeconomic outcomes are affected by gender inequalities and how gender inequalities are influenced by macroeconomic policies. Although gender equality is not the focus of macroeconomic policy, such policies cannot be assumed to be gender neutral. Does a requirement to balance budgets make it harder to reduce gender inequality? Is a focus on public investment and full employment sufficient for achieving gender equality? How can economic growth and gender equality be made compatible? Can gender equality improve the employment/inflation trade-off? Can gender equality improve trade performance?

Official measures of economic well-being need to be improved to allow for cross-country and intertemporal comparisons. The picture of economic well-being can vary significantly, depending on how it is measured. GEE will enhance this area of the Levy Institute’s work by developing research on the intersection of gender inequality and other forms of deprivation. Research will include the reexamination of UN indicators for measuring gender inequality and women’s empowerment, new analyses of time-use data, and the preparation of recommendations for the refinement of existing measures and/or the development of alternative indicators that can be used in policy formulation.

To read the complete working paper Click HERE


Related Links:

Program on Knowledge Networking and Capacity Building on Gender, Macroeconomics, and International Economics: http://www.genderandmacro.org