How to boost GDP in emerging economies? Invest holistically in girls
When women are given greater opportunity to participate in the labour force, economies grow, and societies prosper. But until now, very little research has gone into the economic potential of girls, in particular, adolescent girls, in achieving growth and prosperity. New research from Citi Global Perspectives & Solutions (Citi GPS) and Plan International shows that […]
Covid: no ‘great leveller’ when it comes to women workers’ rights
Measures to tackle COVID-19 have exacerbated gender inequality across the globe. That’s the damning verdict of a recent report from the UN Foundation, which highlights the pandemic’s impact on women and girls everywhere. As we mark the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, it is an opportune time to remember that while we have […]
How the development of women leadership generates positive impact
For more than two years I have been working directly with projects linked to gender equality in multicultural contexts. Explaining inequalities and its structures is crucial to understand how we engage on an agenda of development toward a future where people can thrive in balance with the planet. To comprehend the origins of gender inequality, […]
The COVID-19 Pandemic is Jeopardizing Women’s Ability to Earn a Living. Here’s How We Can Respond.
Elisabeth Atchade’s cashew orchard in central Benin feels like a world away from the epicenters of the COVID-19 pandemic. But when the government instituted lockdowns and travel restrictions in an effort to stop the spread of the disease, the impact on the mother of four was very real. “The start of the COVID-19 pandemic coincided […]
The Business Fights Poverty Fortnightly Round-Up
Over the last fortnight, Business Fights Poverty has been alarmed by reports that the Treasury is due to cut foreign aid spending from 0.7% of GDP to 0.5% in 2021. The cut, due to be announced on Wednesday, comes on top of a £2.9 billion reduction in foreign aid spending over the course of this […]
Addressing gendered and other inequalities will be central to COVID-19 recovery
Beyond COVID-19: grassroots visions of change This article is part of an IIED series that brings together forward-looking responses on specific themes in reaction to the coronavirus pandemic, drawing on our partners’ insights and providing a platform for voices from the global South. Here, IIED researcher Alice Sverdlik looks at the impacts of the virus on women and girls. Lamented as a […]
Making agricultural trade unions accessible to women workers
“We are worried everyday regarding our children. It has become very difficult to run the family with this little wage.” “The government has provided us shelters recently. But how can humans live in a 16 ft home? They are more suitable for cows and goats.” These are the words of women working on tea estates […]
Anti-Racism in Business: Examples and Actions to Drive Real Change
Tackling Racism As Accountable Business Leaders Through Commitment and Action “We cannot credibly build an inclusive economic system without addressing the fundamental injustice, inequity and violence that disproportionately impacts Black people and other People of Color. Racism is pervasive in the very systems in which our businesses operate and in our communities, and it is […]
The Business Fights Poverty Fortnightly Round-Up
Last week, as the US Presidential election played out, the Business Fights Poverty team spent some days reflecting on the events of the past six months and looking ahead to the future. We were all struck by the way that networks such as Business Fights Poverty can provide a source of insight and resilience, as […]
Vilified or Vaulted? How the private sector is our best hope for a more sustainable future
On the surface, those in the private sector have seemingly done a terrible job of being stewards of the environment and humanity. It seems like we’ve never evolved out of the Industrial Revolution. You’d imagine the inside of a factory at, say, Walmart to look like something from a Jacob Riis novel. And I wouldn’t […]
Informal women workers organize and learn to safely recycle e-waste in Manila
As the world continues to produce, buy, and discard newer and more advanced electronic devices and appliances, countries are also facing the growing problem of what do with the waste generated when these products are discarded. If not properly processed, this e-waste (also known as waste electrical and electronic equipment or WEEE), poses a serious […]
Why businesses must act now to tackle hidden labour in global supply chains
The global COVID-19 pandemic has exposed how much economies and societies rely on hidden labour: labour which is unseen, unrecognised and unpaid. This hidden labour is disproportionately borne by women and is one of the most entrenched barriers to gender equality. The pandemic presents an opportunity to redress existing inequalities by “building back better”, however […]
Business calls on governments to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 and accelerate SDG progress for refugees
On 16 September, the Business Refugee Action Network (BRAN) released its Business Takes a Stand for Refugees Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Statement, endorsed by 19 businesses and organisations, including Virgin Group, Ben & Jerry’s and Citi and supported by Deputy Chair of The Elders and former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Ahead of the UN General […]
Day 2 SUMMARY: Business Fights Poverty NYC Online 2020
Today at Business Fights Poverty NYC Online 2020 we discussed equity. Our panellists talked about the negative effects of COVID-19 on different types of inequality, how we can create a more equitable future, what the role of business should be in addressing these challenges, and how we can make the digital economy more inclusive. A fireside chat between […]
Making the invisible, visible: the roadmap to gender equality and women’s empowerment
Gender-based discrimination remains a persistent issue globally. Women are underrepresented in leadership positions. They are paid less than their male colleagues. They participate less in the labour force and spend more time on unpaid care and domestic work. They face sexual harassment and gender-based violence. They receive limited support for their health needs as women […]
VIDEO: How Can Companies Ensure Gender Equality Through Value Chains?
Professor Stephanie Barrientos teaches in the Global Development Institute at The University of Manchester. She was previously a Research Fellow at the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex (2000-7). She has undertaken research in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the UK and she has published widely on gender, global production, employment, decent work, trade […]
VIDEO: How do I make my company more inculsive?
Ceri Davies is Managing Director of More Mascots Please CIC, Returning Ambassador of One Young World, and a Golden Diana Award Holder. Previously, she was a Visiting Lecturer in Social Work at the University of Birmingham. WHAT THIS SESSION COVERS The aim of this session is to help business professionals understand what is the role […]
Supporting Women’s Wellbeing through Flexible, Digital Earning Opportunities
The WTO has recently predicted that the economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic will be disproportionately felt by women, with a ‘pink collar recession’ threatening to roll back the gender equality gains of recent decades. In the UK, there are indications that women are bearing the brunt of redundancies, mothers are more likely than fathers […]
Going above and beyond to support women entrepreneurs
At home, women are taking on much greater caring responsibilities for children who have been unable to attend school, while also having to step into an educational role. At work, women are more likely to be in the sort of low-paid or informal work – hospitality, healthcare, cleaning – which either exposes them to the […]
COVID-19: The role of business-led innovation and advocacy in supporting refugees
COVID-19 has reignited debate on the role of purpose as distinguished from profit, in business. From early on in the crisis, attention has been directed at how businesses can support the most vulnerable. The Business Refugee Action Network’s (BRAN) webinar was an opportunity for businesses to consider the impact of COVID-19 on refugees specifically and […]