Women's work – Routes to social and economic empowerment

Over three days, project researchers will meet virtually to review and discuss current findings from their work on the dynamics of women’s work around the world. These research findings draw from 11 studies that – following the open request for research proposals, announced by UNU-WIDER in July 2019 – have been selected by UNU-WIDER for a special issue in a field journal. The workshop will occur from 16:00 to 18:15 GMT+2 on 19 November, 1 December, and 3 December, 2020.

This work-in-progress workshop provides an opportunity for these researchers to share their results, gather feedback, and consider areas for research advancement. For each study there will be 30 minutes for presentations (a 15 minute presentation by the author of the study and a 5 minute presentation of feedback by an expert discussant) followed by 10 minutes for questions and answers. The workshop will include project researchers, with special invitations extended to early-career researchers working on the topics considered.

The papers that will be presented in this workshop are major components of the 'Women's work – Routes to social and economic empowerment' project currently under way. Collectively, they analyse the dynamics of women’s careers in the Global South, especially women’s life transitions – for example from education to work and/or marriage  – and the quality of women’s employment opportunities.

These are important questions as, for women to be economically and socially empowered, it is necessary to increase both the quantity and quality of jobs for women, and address gender barriers in accessing job opportunities and segregation in labour markets around the world. Furthermore, the achievement of gender equality in labour market outcomes critically depends on the adoption of policies that address the ‘double burden’ that low-income women in particular face — earning income for the family as well as caring for other household members.