Accelerating Gender Equality Through Social Protection

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the industry Core Insights - Social protection interventions are crucial for achieving the World Bank Group's Gender Strategy (2024-2030), promoting women's access to jobs, assets, financial inclusion, and entrepreneurship, while also addressing gender-based violence (GBV) and harmful social norms [3][6][14] - Despite progress, nearly half of the global population lacks adequate social protection coverage, with women and girls disproportionately affected due to structural gender inequalities [3][7][47] - Recommendations include expanding gender-smart programs, leveraging "cash-plus" approaches, enhancing women's access to finance, and engaging the private sector in gender-responsive practices [3][14][47] Summary by Sections The Role of Social Protection in Accelerating Gender Equality - Social protection is recognized as a tool to address poverty, vulnerability, and inequality, particularly in advancing gender equality and empowering women and girls [6][14] - The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated gender inequalities, with significant impacts on women's economic participation and increased rates of GBV [12][39] Boosting Women and Girls' Human Capital and Addressing GBV - Social assistance is effective in reducing gender inequalities, enhancing women's economic empowerment, and improving access to services [17][19] - Cash-plus programs, which combine cash transfers with complementary measures, have shown positive impacts on gender inequalities and GBV [17][22] Expanding and Enabling Economic Opportunities for Women - Economic inclusion programs are essential for boosting the income and assets of the poorest individuals, with a strong focus on women's empowerment [26][27] - Programs targeting women's economic inclusion have demonstrated effectiveness in improving various dimensions of empowerment, even in fragile contexts [27][28] Building Resilience through Adaptive Social Protection - Adaptive social protection is vital for building resilience against crises, with a focus on women and girls in fragile, conflict, and violence (FCV) settings [39][40] - The report highlights the need for targeted interventions to address gender-based inequalities and barriers in FCV environments [39][43] Challenges to Scaling Up Social Protection's Gender Equality Impacts - Persistent gender gaps in social protection coverage necessitate expanded investments in gender-responsive social protection [47][49] - Structural inequalities, such as lower labor force participation rates and higher informal employment among women, contribute to these gaps [47][49]