The World Bank Group recently released its ninth annual report in the series titled “Women, Business and the Law 2023” (WBL 2023). The report features a thorough examination of laws and regulations that shape women’s economic opportunities across 190 economies. The data reflected in the report spans from 1971 to 2023, providing a comprehensive look at the evolution of women’s economic rights over more than five decades.
Features and Significance of the WBL 2023 Report
The WBL 2023 report includes eight indicators – mobility, workplace, pay, marriage, parenthood, entrepreneurship, assets, and pension. These indicators are instrumental in drawing correlations between gender equality and women’s entrepreneurship and employment opportunities. Since its inception in 2009, the report has been a vital tool for studying gender equality and informing discussions on how to enhance women’s economic opportunities and empowerment.
Findings of the WBL 2023 Report
India, classified as a lower middle income group country, achieved a WBL index score of 74.4 out of 100, with the maximum being Nepal’s score of 80.6 among South Asian countries. Globally, only 14 countries scored a perfect 100. The report enlightens that about 2.4 billion women of working age worldwide exist in economies where they do not have the same rights as men. Moreover, the pace of attaining legal gender equality is presently at its weakest in 20 years.
India’s Key Achievements According to the WBL 2023 Report
India scored above the regional average, achieving an overall score higher than the South Asia regional average of 63.7. The report used data on laws and regulations from Mumbai, the main business city of India. India scored perfectly for laws associated with freedom of movement, women’s work decisions, and marriage constraints. The country has seen a significant contribution from civil society in identifying gaps, drafting legislation, and organizing public opinion which led to the enactment of the 2005 Domestic Violence Act.
Areas India Needs to Focus On
Despite progress, there are areas where India needs to improve. These include laws related to pay, pension, inheritance and property rights. The existing laws do not provide for gender equality in pay and pension for working women in India. India should mandate equal remuneration for work of equal value, permit females to work at night and in industrial jobs, the same as men, to improve the Pay indicator. The report shows that women globally enjoy only 77 percent of the legal rights that men do, suggesting a need for India to reform laws affecting women’s pay, work after childbirth, entrepreneurship, property, inheritance, and pension size.
Women, Business and the Law 2023 and UPSC Civil Services Examination
The understanding and discussion around the WBL 2023 report can be seen in the light of previous years’ questions in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination. For instance, questions about the ‘Ease of Doing Business Index’, which is declared by the World Bank; or queries on reports like ‘Global Economic Prospects’ and ‘World Economic Outlook’ released respectively by the World Bank and The International Monetary Fund. Such questions reiterate the importance of this report for the Civil Services aspirants.
Concluding Remarks
The WBL 2023 report offers valuable insights into gender equality and women’s economic opportunities across nations. While India has made considerable progress according to the report, there remains significant room for improvement in various aspects, such as pay, pension and inheritance rights. Continued focus and reforms in these areas are vital for achieving legal gender equality in the country.
