Women comprise 40% of the world’s workforce. In the apparel sector which has been a crucial engine of private sector growth for many developing countries. The vast majority of its workers are female: as of June 2013, 80% of all workers in Better Work participating facilities were women, ranging from 53% in Nicaragua to 91% in Cambodia.
Research from the World Bank indicates that improvements in women’s incomes can be transformative, often leading to greater investments in children’s health and education that result in better overall human development outcomes1 . At the same time, persistent gender inequality can hold back macro-economic growth: IMF research suggests that some countries miss out on up to 27% growth per capita due to gender gaps in the labour market2 .
Better Work policy briefs present the relevance of Better Work’s research and impact findings for policy formulation.