| At the book launch at the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC, Dr. Klugman welcomed the book’s focus on women’s economic empowerment, underlining its cross-cutting importance to achieving the overall vision of the SDGs.
“While there is no magic bullet, it is important to address social norms and laws that restrict opportunities, especially for poor women,” said Dr. Klugman.
She highlighted innovative examples across a range of countries that have effectively addressed challenges around care and financial inclusion. “Digital financial inclusion holds large promise, especially in countries where cell phone access is more common than having a bank account for women,” said Dr. Klugman. She added: “Our chapter also points to measures that companies and governments can undertake to accelerate change, including addressing their own employment and procurement practices.” |
In chapter two, Dr. Klugman and Dr. Tyson show that expanding women’s economic opportunities is central to the 2030 Agenda to leave no one behind, and that persistent gaps call for more concerted efforts. They build on the recent report of the United Nations Secretary General’s High Level Panel on Women’s Economic Empowerment, which they co-authored, and focus on the distribution of unpaid care and financial inclusion.