1 Gender Inequality, Economic Development and the Knowledge Economy Second MENA Knowledge for...

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Gender Inequality, Economic Development

and the Knowledge Economy

Second MENA Knowledge for Development Forum

Marseilles, FranceMarch 15-16, 2004

The World Bank

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• Gender Inequality and Economic Development

• Gender Inequality and Human Development

• Gender Inequality around the World

• Gender Inequality and the Knowledge Economy

• ICTs and Gender Inequality

Overview

Knowledge for Development Program 2004

Gender Inequality and Economic Development


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• Main channels through which gender inequality affects economic development

Selection-Distortion Effect

Environment Effects

Demographic Transition Effects

Better Governance and Institutions

Gender Inequality andEconomic Development


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Selection-Distortion and Environment Effects

Gender Inequality in Education

Boys with lower innate abilities get

educated

Less Educated Mothers - Less intellectually

stimulating environment

Less life-long learning at the

household level

Lower quality of students

Gender Inequality in Employment

Lower Quality Labor Force

Lower TFP Growth

Marginal Product of Capital Decreases

Less Investment

Lower Economic GrowthKnowledge for Development Program 2004

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Environment Effects• Gender inequality in education – less female

education at each level of male education

– Less-educated mothers provide environments that are less intellectually stimulating

– Resulting in a lower quality of students

• Equally educated siblings and couples tend to strengthen each other’s educational success and life-long learning

– Gender inequality in education tends to result in less life-long learning


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Demographic Transition EffectsGender Equality in Education

Education attainment of women increases

Lower fertility – less children

Aggregate Savings Increases

More Investment

Higher per-capita Income

Relative size of the working–age population increases

Marginal Product of Capital Increases


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• Women’s participation in public office tend to be associated with

– Cleaner businesses and government

– Less corruption

• Better governance and institutions tend to be associated with higher rates of economic growth

Better Governance and Institutions


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Governance and Institutions

Index of women’s economic and social rights

Co

rru

pti

on

Ind

ex

Source: World Bank, 2001


Gender Inequality in the World


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Gender Inequality in the WorldFemale Labor Force

4041

4446

33 32

42

24

40

4244

46

3433

42

26

41

4546

3534

42

29

43

0

10

20

30

40

50

World High income East Asia &Pacific

Europe &Central Asia

LatinAmerica &Caribbean

South Asia Sub-SaharanAfrica

Middle East& NorthAfrica

(% of total labor force)

1990 1996 2002


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Gender Inequality and the Knowledge Economy


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Knowledge Economy

Economy in which knowledge is the engine of growth

Four Pillars of the Knowledge Economy Economic incentive and institutional regime that

provides incentives for the efficient use of existing and new knowledge and the flourishing of entrepreneurship

Educated, creative and skilled people

Dynamic information infrastructure

Effective national innovation system

Knowledge Economy Framework


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KE Index with Gender Variables


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Gender Inequality in MENA


ICT and Gender Inequality


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World Bank Group defines ICT asconsisting of hardware, software, networks, media

for collection, storage, processing transmission, presentation of information (voice, data, text, images)

OECD defines ICT sectors as a combination of manufacturing and service industries that

capture, transmit and display data and information electronically.

ICT can play an important role in economic development By providing new and more efficient methods of production

By improving the delivery of government services

By facilitating management and transfer of knowledge

ICT


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Some facts on ICT Sector

• Numbers ($1 Trillion in Revenues, Dec 2003)– Efficiency gains in traditional sectors– Creation of New Services– Impact on Employment: Knowledge Worker

• ICT as a sector• ICT as a tool for client sectors • The Dynamism, Growth, and Virtual Nature

(inherent equality) of ICT created a need for a new Learning/Training Industry & Workforce

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ICT: Economic Opportunity for MNA women

• New sector. No legacy from the past• Women are by nature good at information

aggregation; creation and dissemination• Allows unemployed graduates to find a new

niche in local creation in their field of expertise• Allows work to be virtual. Can combine workforce

in one location (childcare) or women can work in politically correct locations with the right tools,

• Infrastructure, and training• Allows life long learning and re-skilling from

home

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ICT Entrepreneur Profile

• Great networker, Extrovert• Dealer and wheeler• Pushy/Aggressive ; marketeer• Well connected to industry / practitioners• Access to Finance and VC• Travel; Partnerships, Participation in exhibits,

events and conferences• Enjoys Freedom of Expression

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Channels via which ICT can improve gender in equality

– Influencing public opinion on gender equality

• Web sites; news; networks; associations on line

– Increasing women’s education

• Via access to public information on relevant topics without having to go through traditional channels

– Allowing more economic opportunities for women

• 10 PERCENT OF OECD LABOR FORCE is employed in ICT SECTOR (directly and indirectly)



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Influencing Public Opinion on Gender Equality

– ICT increases flow of knowledge and information

– Increases exposures of customs, norms and practices from other cultures and societies

– Raises the awareness and informs the constituency of gender inequality issues, on injustices or flagrant system failures

– Increases pressure on policymakers to include gender as an important component of their social and economic policies, and women as an important segment of their constituency



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Increasing Women’s Education– Lack of schooling coupled with gender biases that dictate domestic roles for women tend to perpetuate gender disparities

– ICT allow women to obtain and update their skills for equal participation in the knowledge economy

• Increasing access through distance learning

• Broadening the availability of quality educational materials

• Efficiency and Effectiveness of Educational Administration



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Increasing Economic Opportunities for Women

– ICTs allow women to telecommute and hence they are able to work and interact with men without face-to-face contact and even without being in the same place

– ICTs allow micro and small enterprises (MSE), which are dominated by women, to compete and to partner in the marketplace

–ICT allows women to save time and start valuing their own time

–ICT saves on transportation time and hazards



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Q & A

• Many thanks for your participation!

• Pls contact Samia Melhem

[email protected]

for additional questions or follow-up

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

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