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UN Women Policy Briefs
The UN Women policy brief series synthesizes research findings, analysis and policy recommendations on key policy areas around gender equality and womens rights in an accessible format. The series aims to bridge the research and policy divide by identifying issues that require urgent policy attention and propose a set of suitable measures to address them. The series is a joint effort of UN Womens Policy Division, coordinated by the Research and Data Section. To ensure the quality and relevance of the content, each brief undergoes a rigorous internal and external peer review process. These concise and relevant policy-oriented documents are useful resources for gender equality advocates, civil society and other policy actors working to achieve gender equality and womens rights.
1 - 20 of 26 results
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Addressing Violence Against Women Through Social Protection
Author: United Nations WomenPublication Date: July 2023More LessIn the wake of the “shadow pandemic” of violence against women and girls during COVID-19, policymakers, practitioners, and activists are searching for novel and effective ways to address violence against women (VAW), including in the context of ongoing crises and disasters. Social protection systems provide a wide range of policy tools and mechanisms that have the potential to address VAW. To date, however, this potential is largely unrealized. Policy discussions and practice on social protection and VAW remain siloed and evidence generation dispersed. Based on a phased scoping review of peer-reviewed academic and grey literature, which captured 48 articles focused on both social protection and gender-based violence, this policy paper brings the two fields together, to identify pathways for harnessing social protection to address VAW. In doing so, the paper enables policymakers to move beyond a focus on singular social protection interventions and towards a systems perspective that opens opportunities for preventing and addressing VAW through a broad range of social protection schemes, such as multisectoral coordination, accompaniment models, and training for social protection providers.
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Public Guarantee of Child Support
Author: United Nations WomenPublication Date: December 2022More LessChild support—a monetary transfer from a non-resident parent to a lone parent to assist with the cost of raising children following union dissolution—is a critical source of income for the increasing proportion of lone-mother families, especially those at risk of experiencing poverty and material hardship. However, in a wide range of countries, a significant proportion of lone mothers do not receive financial support from their children’s father. Drawing on cross-national evidence and the Luxembourg Income Study Database (LIS), this policy brief highlights the importance of child support for lone-mother families and factors that may prevent lone mothers from receiving this transfer. It concludes with a series of recommendations to ensure regular and adequate child support is provided.
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Putting Gender Equality at the Centre of Social Protection Strategies in Sub-Saharan Africa
Author: United Nations WomenPublication Date: April 2022More LessSocial protection has become an increasingly important part of the social development agenda in sub-Saharan Africa. Comprehensive social protection systems can contribute to poverty eradication and reduced inequalities, stimulate productive activity and economic growth, and create resilience in the face of multiple and recurrent crises—particularly if they work in tandem with other social and labour market policies. Recently, countries in the region have made extensive use of social protection instruments to confront the economic and social fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. Against this backdrop, this brief analyses the extent to and ways in which countries in the region integrate gender equality and women’s empowerment into their social protection efforts, drawing on a unique data set of national social protection strategies from 30 countries in the region, including 14 in West and Central Africa and 16 in East and Southern Africa. It finds that while a significant number of strategies acknowledge gendered risks and vulnerabilities, few include specific actions to address them. The brief concludes with a set of recommendations for increased mainstreaming of gender equality concerns into efforts to build national social protection systems.
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Working With Men and Boys For Gender Equality
Author: United Nations WomenPublication Date: April 2022More LessA quarter century on from the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, at which the need for gender equality work with men was clearly articulated, it is time for a critical assessment of the ‘men for gender equality’ field. This brief takes stock of this work and proposes new directions for programming and policy on men and boys. Work with men and boys has often remained too focused on individual men’s identities, attitudes and behaviours, rather than on the structures and systems that sustain gender inequalities. It has relied on reductive understandings of the category ‘men’, social psychological accounts of gender norms, and organizational forms that, together, have limited its ability to contribute to intersectional feminist mobilizations. Work with men and boys must focus on the gendered operations of power and injustice, press for political and policy change, focus more on anti-patriarchal social action in solidarity with and accountability to intersectional feminist and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex or queer (LGBTIQ+) movements and reorient evidence-based practice toward social change.
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COVID-19 and Women’s Rights Organizations
Author: United Nations WomenPublication Date: May 2021More LessThis brief provides evidence of the different ways in which women’s rights organizations have been affected by the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, highlighting the predicament that many of them face of increased relevance and demand at the same time as civic closure, restrictive work conditions, and diminishing funding. By showcasing the critical roles these organizations are playing in the context of the pandemic as essential service providers, advocates, and watchdogs, this brief also identifies a set of recommendations to strengthen them in the immediate term and pave the way for a more equal post-COVID future.
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COVID-19 and Fiscal Policy
Author: United Nations WomenPublication Date: May 2021More LessSince the start of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, almost USD 16 trillion has been pumped into the global economy, and governments are now rolling out second and third phases of support. With the introduction of vaccines, some countries can begin to get the pandemic under control and start investing in recovery. Most countries, however, are still grappling with the pandemic’s immediate health and socio-economic fallout, including its outsized impact on women. While the adoption of policy measures to prevent or respond to the surge in violence against women is more widespread, the social protection and jobs response has not adequately supported women’s economic security nor addressed care work or the financing of care services. This policy brief presents entry points for the application of gender-responsive budgeting to COVID-19 support and recovery packages. Drawing on country examples, this brief provides recommendations on the use of gender budgeting tools to identify gaps in policy responses and direct spending towards gender responsive COVID-19 measures.
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Universal Basic Income
Author: United Nations WomenPublication Date: May 2021More LessOver the past decades, universal basic income (UBI) has repeatedly been put forward as a means to address increasing labour market precarity, jobless growth, and rising poverty and inequality. Most recently, proponents have argued that UBI could provide much-needed protection in the face of economic, environmental, and health crises, such as COVID-19 (coronavirus). The implications of UBI for gender equality have received insufficient attention in these debates, despite the fact that feminists have long discussed its pros and cons. Some feminists hold that an unconditional income independent of paid work would enhance women’s agency in families, households, the workplace, and the community, with particular benefit for those facing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination. Others caution that, in a climate of fiscal tightening and austerity, UBI could be used to justify the rollback of state responsibility and funding for other essential support measures, including care services, housing, education, and health care. Building on their contributions, this policy brief discusses the potential and limitations of UBI from a gender perspective and points to some of the specific design features that policymakers need to consider to make UBI work for women and transgender and gender-diverse people.
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COVID-19 and Conflict
Author: United Nations WomenPublication Date: September 2020More LessThis brief addresses the importance of women’s full, equal, and meaningful participation to an effective pandemic response and to peacemaking efforts, and how the women, peace and security (WPS) agenda can provide a critical framework for inclusive decision-making and sustainable solutions. While efforts to flatten the pandemic’s curve unfold around the globe, violent conflict remains a deadly reality for far too many people. In March 2020, the UN Secretary-General called for a global ceasefire to allow the world to address COVID-19 (coronavirus). Since the outbreak of the pandemic, women have been at the forefront of effective COVID-19 prevention and response efforts—from frontline service delivery to the highest levels of decision-making. With women’s participation central to achieving sustainable solutions, the pandemic has brought into sharp relief how critical the WPS agenda is to inclusive and effective decision-making. This brief recognizes the vital role of women’s civil society organizations in mobilizing support for an urgent cessation of hostilities, inclusive ceasefire processes, and comprehensive peace talks. It also provides a preliminary analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on women’s participation in ceasefires and peace processes and offers a series of recommendations, including on “building back better”.
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COVID-19 and Women’s Leadership
Author: United Nations WomenPublication Date: July 2020More LessThis brief shines a light on the critical role of women’s leadership in responding to COVID-19 (coronavirus) and preparing for a more equitable recovery. Across the globe, women are at the helm of institutions carrying out effective and inclusive COVID-19 responses, from the highest levels of decision-making to frontline service delivery. At the same time, the brief recognizes pre-existing and new constraints to women’s participation and leadership and advocates for measures to facilitate women’s influence over decision-making processes. It makes recommendations to be considered by national, regional and international policymakers. In addition to considering the pandemic’s immediate impacts on women’s political participation, the brief demonstrates the opportunity to “build back better” by including and supporting women, and the organizations and networks that represent them, in the decision-making processes that will ultimately shape the post-pandemic future.
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Addressing the Economic Fallout of COVID-19
Author: United Nations WomenPublication Date: July 2020More LessThis brief presents emerging evidence of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic’s impact on women’s economic empowerment. Complementing a separate UN Women policy brief on “COVID-19 and the care economy”, it considers the immediate gendered economic impacts, including widening socioeconomic divides and shifting national and international priorities for the allocation of resources, as well as the long-term implications for women’s employment and livelihoods. The brief makes recommendations to be considered by all stakeholders, from governments to international organizations, the private sector, and civil society organizations, in order to guarantee the economic rights of women during the public health crisis and in plans for recovery and resilience. Drawing on the latest available research and data, the brief highlights examples of action already being taken.
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COVID-19 and Violence Against Women and Girls
Author: United Nations WomenPublication Date: July 2020More LessThis brief presents emerging evidence of the impact of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic on violence against women and girls (VAWG). The brief advocates for measures that prevent and respond to VAWG in the current circumstances of lockdown as well as for investments that ensure the safety of women and girls in longer-term recovery plans. It makes recommendations to be considered by all sectors of society, from governments and multilateral institutions to civil society organizations, private companies, and donors, with examples of actions already taken. In addition to providing the latest research and data on VAWG in the context of the public health crisis, the brief considers the social and economic implications of this “shadow pandemic”, which at present are on track to endure long after the immediate health threat posed by COVID-19 has passed.
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COVID-19 and the Care Economy
Author: United Nations WomenPublication Date: July 2020More LessThis brief presents emerging evidence on the impact of the global COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic on the care economy. Complementing a separate UN Women brief on COVID-19 and economic recovery, this brief highlights key measures needed to address the increase in unpaid care work as a result of the pandemic, ensure adequate compensation and decent working conditions for paid care workers, and enable the participation of paid and unpaid caregivers in the policy decisions that affect them. It makes recommendations to be considered by all stakeholders, from governments to international organizations and the private sector, with examples of actions already taken. In addition to considering the immediate impacts of the pandemic on care systems, it shines a light on the opportunity to “build back better” through sustained investments in gender-responsive social protection and care systems.
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Leaving no one Behind
Author: United Nations WomenPublication Date: June 2020More LessSocial protection is a universal human right and a key element of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. While this right unequivocally applies to migrants, irrespective of migration status, migrant women in particular often remain excluded. Against this backdrop, this policy brief discusses the barriers that migrant women face in accessing social protection and provides recommendations for States to meet their obligation to overcome these, particularly in relation to health care, maternity protection and essential services for victims and survivors of violence. It points to a range of positive actions that can be taken, including the creation of a supportive legal and regulatory framework, the design and implementation of policies and services that are responsive to the needs of migrant women and the separation of service provision from immigration enforcement activities.
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Family-oriented Cash Transfers from a Gender Perspective
Author: United Nations WomenPublication Date: June 2020More LessConditional cash transfers (CCTs) are an increasingly significant component of national social protection systems. CCTs have been associated with positive effects on poverty reduction, increased school attendance and use of health services, as well as reductions in child labour. Some claim that CCTs contribute to the empowerment of women and girls. Whether or not the conditionalities attached to these transfers play a role in producing these positive outcomes remains an open and much-debated question. Against this backdrop, the brief reviews a decade of feminist research on CCTs that has raised serious questions about the assumptions that underpin the use of conditionalities and their impact on poor women’s lives. The brief highlights particular concerns about the detrimental effects that conditionalities may have in contexts where quality public services are lacking and where multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination mean that well-intended programme requirements easily slip into coercive and disempowering implementation practices. To avoid these dynamics, it is critical to avoid conditionalities where possible and ensure that cash transfer programmes are accompanied by investments in quality public services and infrastructure that help women and their families to thrive.
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The Gender Gap in Agricultural Productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa
Author: United Nations WomenPublication Date: July 2019More LessAcross sub-Saharan Africa, the agricultural sector remains critical to local and regional economies. It is the basis for food security and an important source of employment, particularly for women. Yet, studies consistently find that female farmers have lower rates of agricultural productivity than male farmers. Based on original research in five countries (Ethiopia, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda and United Republic of Tanzania), this policy brief shows that gender gaps in agricultural productivity do not arise because women are less efficient farmers but because they experience inequitable access to agricultural inputs, including family labour, high-yield crops, pesticides and fertilizer. Equalizing women’s access to agricultural inputs, including time-saving equipment, and increasing the return to these inputs is therefore critical to close gender gaps in agricultural productivity. It also promises to yield important economic and social gains. Across the five countries, it could raise crop production by up to 19 per cent, boost agricultural and overall GDP and lift hundreds of thousands of people out of poverty.
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Gender and Age-responsive Social Protection
Author: United Nations WomenPublication Date: March 2019More LessAdolescence is recognized as a window of opportunity for offsetting childhood disadvantage and altering life trajectories. With more than one billion adolescents in the world, and many countries in the Global South experiencing a youth bulge, there is increasing urgency for national governments and donors to provide greater support, services and programming to this age group. Evidence on the economic and social impacts of cash transfers (CTs) highlights that such programmes can reap multiple dividends across the lifecycle—including in terms of school and health service uptake, intra-household decision-making and intimate partner violence. There is growing interest in how to leverage these programmes to improve adolescent well-being across the second decade of life and beyond. This policy brief reviews the effects of CTs on the rights and capabilities of adolescent girls and boys (10–19 years) using a gender and capability lens and focusing on three key capability domains: education; sexual and reproductive health; and freedom from violence. Based on this evidence, the brief highlights the importance of a ‘cash plus’ approach to enhancing adolescents’ multi-dimensional well-being and achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
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Towards Inclusive Cities for All
Author: United Nations WomenPublication Date: December 2018More LessInformal employment is the norm in most of the developing world, with an over-representation of women. The majority of this work is informal self-employment, which is typically survival-oriented with few prospects and low returns. In spite of its prevalence and its importance to the livelihoods of millions of women and their families, the quality of informal self-employment has received surprisingly little attention from policymakers. The 2030 Agenda, with its goals on decent work and economic growth (SDG 8) and sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11) has the potential to change this. One of the main challenges is that some of the preconditions of labour rights – an employer to address claims to, a conventional workplace that can be inspected and improved and effective trade unions that can engage in social dialogue – are missing. This Policy Brief focuses on three groups of informally self-employed women working in urban areas – street vendors, home-based workers and waste pickers – to show how organizations of informal workers engaging with local and national policymakers are working to advance these workers’ rights and help to create more inclusive cities for all.
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Long-Term Care for Older People
Author: United Nations WomenPublication Date: December 2017More LessPopulation ageing is a global reality. So is the fact that, as people age, they tend to require greater care and assistance in activities related to daily living. Nevertheless, current debates about long-term care for older persons are remarkably narrow. First, long-term care is yet to be recognized as a burning policy issue in low- and middle-income countries, which is where the majority of older persons live. Second, even in developed countries where long-term care has been on the public agenda for some time, it is rarely discussed in gendered terms. Instead, debates are dominated by concerns over its fiscal implications. As this brief shows, however, long-term care always has costs, even if it is provided by family members on an unpaid basis. Currently, the societal costs of policy inaction in both developed and developing countries are borne disproportionately by women: the elderly women who do not receive the care that they deserve, and the women of all ages who are overrepresented among those who provide care under inadequate and exploitative conditions. Finding ways to share these costs more equitably across society is paramount. This brief underlines the need to build long-term care systems that are financially and socially sustainable and discusses a set of measures that can be taken to improve the situation of care-dependent older persons as well as their caregivers.
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Why and How Constitutions Matter for Advancing Gender Equality
Author: United Nations WomenPublication Date: December 2017More LessConstitutions are the most authoritative expressions of States’ systems of governance and accountability and therefore pose potential opportunities for and threats to the advancement of gender equality. This policy brief outlines the gains and gaps in gender-responsive constitution-making over the years and the policy lessons that can be drawn from these for ongoing constitutional and post-constitutional reforms. It finds that there has been a significant growth in genderresponsive constitutions since the 1980s. However, it argues that while this is an important achievement, the persistence of gender discriminatory provisions in some constitutions as well as the lack of a clear pathway between constitution-making and policy and legislative change tends to diminish the contribution of constitutions to gender equality efforts. It examines strategies that have been used by different players for achieving gender-responsive constitutional changes and pinpoints examples of situations in which reforms have been harnessed for positive advances in jurisprudence, policy and legislation.
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Making Social Protection Gender-Responsive
Author: United Nations WomenPublication Date: December 2017More LessThere is broad-based agreement today that universal social protection systems are a desirable goal. For gender equality advocates, it is paramount to take advantage of this momentum to ensure that such systems benefit women by responding to their rights and needs. Well-designed social protection systems can narrow gender gaps in poverty rates, enhance women’s income security and access to personal income, and provide a lifeline for poor women, especially single mothers. The current context of economic stagnation and fiscal adjustment, however, places big constraints on the investments needed to achieve these goals. How can gender equality advocates engage with social protection advocacy in this context? This policy brief showcases the strategies that were used by UN Women’s Multi-Country Office in the Caribbean to promote gender-responsive social protection in a context where reforms have been driven mainly by efforts to reduce public debt and promote economic competitiveness.
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