Keeping women on the sidelines of the economy isn’t simply unjust—it’s self-defeating Indermit Gill February 24, 2026 This page in: English Español العربية 中文 © 2026 World Bank Group,

https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/voices/keeping-women-on-the-sidelines-of-the-economy-isnt-simply-unjust-its-self-defeating It’s a shocking statistic: across the world today, more than 95 percent of women live in an economy that does not provide full legal equality—and not one economy has secured the legal rights needed for women’s full economic participation. Even in economies that have modernized their laws, women still face constraints that hamper the work they can do, the businesses they can start, and the safety they need to pursue opportunities. © 2026 World Bank Group,