A groundbreaking book about the direct relationship between a woman's rights and freedoms and the economic prosperity of her country.
Gender discrimination is often seen from a human rights perspective; it is a violation of women's basic human rights, as embedded in the Universal Declaration, the UN Charter and other such founding documents. Moreover, there is overwhelming evidence that restrictions and various forms of discrimination against women are also bad economics. They undermine the talent pool available to the private sector, they distort power relationships within the family and lead to inefficiencies in the use of resources. They contribute to create an environment in which women, de facto, are second-class citizens, with fewer options than men, lower quality jobs, lower pay, often the victims of various forms of violence, literally from the cradle to the grave. They are also not fully politically empowered and have scant presence in the corridors of power, whether as finance ministers, central bank governors, prime ministers or on the boards of leading corporations. Why is gender inequality so pervasive? Where does it come from? Does it have cultural and religious roots? And, what are the sorts of policies and values that will deliver a world in which being born a boy or a girl is no longer a measure of the likelihood of developing one's human potential?
"This is an ideal book for policymakers who need to understand the broader picture of gender inequality and its impact...This book provides insights into the many ways that the oppression of women is tied to economic stagnation and too often shielded from policy interventions by arguments of national or cultural sovereignty."
Stanford Social Innovation Review
"The authors compare the economies of gender-biased nations to those that promote equal rights, demonstrating the profound impact of inequality."
Booklist
"Practical, intelligent, and focused on solutions...combines sound research across several disciplines to prove the simple math of its title and make the pressing case that governments should prioritize gender equality for reasons of economic stability."
