Women, Business and the Law 2025 Manual and Guide, March 2025

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the industry Core Insights - The Women, Business and the Law (WBL) project by the World Bank provides comprehensive data on how laws and regulations affect women's economic opportunities across 190 economies, aiming to inform policy dialogue on gender equality reform [8][9] - The WBL report has evolved to assess not only the existence of laws but also their practical implementation, marking a significant step in understanding women's access to jobs and markets [9] - The project aligns with broader international development goals related to gender equality and sustainable growth, as outlined in the World Bank Gender Strategy 2024–2030 and the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) [9] Summary by Sections Data Collection and Methodology - The WBL report production cycle consists of five phases: questionnaire design, data collection, data validation, score computation, and publication [12][13] - Data is collected through questionnaires sent to Expert Contributors in 190 economies, focusing on family law, labor law, and violence against women legislation [78][86] - Expert Contributors include professionals from both private and public sectors, providing insights based on their knowledge of legal frameworks [79][80] Data Integrity and Quality Assurance - The WBL team employs a rigorous data review process involving multiple layers of validation to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the collected data [66][70] - Perception-based data undergo a specific validation process to ensure that enforcement perceptions are only scored when relevant laws are in place [69] - The final data set is approved by DECIG Management and shared during the Bank-wide Review process [70] Engagement and Communication - The WBL project engages with Expert Contributors through a structured process, ensuring transparency and quality in data collection [76][84] - The Contributor Management Team oversees relationships with Expert Contributors, facilitating data collection and validation [84] - The project emphasizes the importance of ethical conduct and conflict of interest management among WBL staff [49][53]