The Relation Between Gender Equality and Economic Growth

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INTRODUCTION

This essay is mainly based on Åsa Löfström´s report Gender equality, economic growth and employment. Åsa Löfström is the Associate Professor at the Department of Economics at the Umeå University in Sweden. During the conference on Female Employment and Economic growths, which took part in Stockholm on 12th September 2013, she presented main questions connected to her report, published in 2009. First question was of whether female employment rate matters for GDP and GDP-growth. If the answer is yes two other questions have to follow: 1. What strategies and actions have to be taken in order to “exploit” the economic potential there is in rising female employment and 2. How to fulfil these actions. The aim of my essay is to discuss the relation between gender equality and economic growth, formulated in three questions, and to illustrate this relation on the example of the European Union.

My essay is divided into two parts. In the first part I am focused on the first question and I analyse Åsa Löfström´s report, OECD and World Bank Group´s documents and the scientific works of other scientists, such as Roger Mortvik and Roland Spant, Mark Smith, Kabeer and Natali. In the second part I am more specific and I try to find answers on the second and third question. Whereas these questions involve the strategies and actions to exploit the economic potential in female employment, I will focus on the EU level to give you a particular example.

1. GENDER EQUALITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Åsa Löfström´s report analyses the connection between gender equality, economic growth and employment. If we want to find an answer on the first question (Whether female employment rate matters for GDP and GDP-growth), we should first...

... middle of paper ...

...arl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=IM-PRESS&reference=20100127IPR68135&language=LT

More Women Executives and Entrepreneurs Required To Boost EU Economic Growth - EU conference hosted by Gender Equality Minister Kathleen Lynch T.D., 2013

http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/PR13000156

Observatory: European Charter for Equality of Women and Men in Local life: The European Union and Gender Equality

http://www.charter-equality.eu/the-charter/the-eu-and-gender-equality.html

Gender dimension is also included in the EU 2020 strategy. (http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.soc-opinions.23970)

Gender Equality in Workforce is Central to EU’s targets for Economic Growth, 2013

http://www.eu2013.ie/news/news-items/20130429genderconferencepr/

Gender dimension is also included in the EU 2020 strategy. (http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.soc-opinions.23970)

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