First published 2018
Women's economic empowerment drives global prosperity, yet legal obstacles persist worldwide. Gayle Tzemach Lemmon examines how 90 percent of 189 economies maintain regulations that restrict women's economic opportunities. The analysis reveals that over one hundred countries ban women from specific occupations, while fifty-nine provide no legal protection against workplace sexual harassment. Eighteen nations allow husbands to prohibit wives from working outside the home. Lemmon focuses on five critical areas where barriers concentrate: financial inclusion, identification laws, land rights, workplace discrimination, and family law. Through detailed case studies, she demonstrates how legal reforms in several countries have advanced women's rights over the past decade. All but thirty-two countries now guarantee constitutional gender equality, and record numbers have enacted anti-discrimination legislation. The book argues that eliminating these barriers remains absent from mainstream economic policy discussions despite clear evidence of women's economic value. Lemmon contends that leveling the legal landscape for women could unlock the economic potential of half the world's population, with significant implications for global prosperity and stability.
Genres: gender-studies, business, feminism, economics, non-fiction, academic
Vibes: analytical, informative, thought-provoking
Tropes: investigative-journalism, policy-analysis
71 pages · Paperback · Council on Foreign Relations Press