Women, Business and the Law Index

The Women, Business and the Law Index (WBL) by the World Bank is a tool that measures the extent to which countries around the world have enacted laws and regulations that promote gender equality. The index covers a wide range of areas, including mobility, workplace, pay, marriage, parenthood, entrepreneurship, assets, and pensions.

The 2021 edition of the WBL report revealed that despite significant progress in some areas, overall, there has been a slowdown in the pace of reforms towards gender equality. The report found that only 10 countries out of the 190 assessed had achieved a perfect score of 100 in terms of gender equality in the eight areas covered by the index.

The report highlighted several key areas where progress towards gender equality has been slow. These included:

Mobility:

Although women’s mobility has improved in many countries, there are still many places where women are not allowed to travel without the permission of a male guardian. The report found that in 31 countries, married women are still required by law to obey their husbands and cannot make decisions about their own mobility.

Workplace:

Although many countries have laws in place to prevent discrimination against women in the workplace, there are still significant gaps in terms of pay, promotions, and access to certain jobs. The report found that in 100 countries, there are still laws that restrict women’s access to certain jobs, industries, or sectors.

Parenthood:

Although many countries have implemented laws to provide parental leave and other forms of support for working parents, there is still a significant gap between men and women when it comes to sharing caregiving responsibilities. The report found that in 49 countries, there are still no laws providing for paternity leave.

Entrepreneurship:

Although many countries have implemented laws to promote entrepreneurship and business ownership, women are still significantly underrepresented in these areas. The report found that in 42 countries, women cannot start a business without the permission of a male guardian.

Assets and Pensions:

Although women have made significant gains in terms of property ownership and inheritance rights, there are still many countries where women do not have the same rights as men. The report found that in 23 countries, women do not have the same inheritance rights as men.

The WBL report highlights the fact that while many countries have implemented laws and regulations to promote gender equality, there is still a significant gap between men and women in terms of legal rights and provisions. The report serves as a reminder that there is still much work to be done to ensure that women around the world have the same opportunities and rights as men.