Resource library: Economic empowerment
Welcome to our comprehensive resource collection dedicated to economic empowerment.
Here, you'll find a wide range of resources designed to support organisations in creating, implementing, and monitoring the impact of inclusive economic empowerment activities.
Economic empowerment is all about enabling individuals to exercise their right to earn income and have control over their financial resources. These activities can include providing access to education and skills development, employment programs, financial management training, or resources to start and grow businesses or livelihood activities. Additionally, economic empowerment involves addressing barriers that lead to unequal access to jobs, livelihood opportunities, and financial resources. This includes tackling systems that perpetuate low-income and insecure jobs for women, fail to recognise unpaid care work, or hinder certain groups from accessing employment opportunities.
Ensuring economic empowerment for all groups is crucial for achieving gender equality and promoting social inclusion. It not only improves access to essential services but also plays a significant role in breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty and exclusion. Furthermore, economic empowerment contributes to broader economic growth and equality within society.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 56 resources
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- Evidence/literature review
This resource discusses the global shift towards digitalisation, and how this is driving technical, social and organisational changes. Having the capacity to leverage digital technology has been identified as essential to ensuring individual…
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- Policy paper
This policy brief presents findings from a World Bank’s research programme focused on gendered dimensions of forced displacement and poverty. It looks at how poverty intersects with gender and forced displacement and outlines implications for policy…
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- Evidence/literature review
This resource explains how gender inequality affects the extent and patterns of different dimensions of poverty in forcibly displaced populations. It also explores how conflict and displacement affect gender norms and the prevalence of intimate…
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- Evidence/literature review
This resource examines multidimensional poverty among displaced populations. It brings together three key issues: multidimensional poverty, forced displacement and gender. The analysis builds on the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) from Ethiopia…
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- Lessons from a programme
This article examines the impact of a disability-inclusive intervention on learning outcomes for girls with disabilities in Kenya. It summarises the pre-existing circumstances and the project implemented by the non-governmental organisation. It…
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- Evidence/literature review
This resource summarises evidence available on intersections between poverty and rates of intimate partner violence (IPV). It looks at how economic empowerment activities aimed at women impact the IPV rates and leads to both positive and negative…
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- Graphic resource, Multimedia
Despite progress, women still face widespread inequality, and no country has achieved full gender parity. With global commitments to achieve gender equality by 2030, the Equalities Resource Hub highlights where we stand today.With this one-page…
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- Graphic resource, Multimedia
This infographic explores the complex and often contested relationship between harmful social norms and extreme poverty. It highlights how deeply embedded norms can drive the marginalisation and impoverishment of certain groups, and why identifying…
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- Graphic resource, Multimedia
This infographic illustrates how climate change deepens existing poverty and threatens to reverse progress made in poverty reduction. It highlights the multiplier effect of climate change when combined with other drivers of poverty and how it…
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- Multimedia, Podcast
This podcast episode explores how social protection systems can move beyond addressing women’s basic needs to actively challenging gender norms that perpetuate inequality. The episode reflects on how social programmes can unintentionally reinforce…
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- Evidence/literature review
This evidence review explores the relationship between urbanisation and extreme poverty. It provides a high-level summary of measures to address extreme poverty in urban areas and to identify areas where further research could add value. The…
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- Evidence/literature review
This rapid evidence review from the from the Knowledge for development and diplomacy (K4DD) helpdesk examines how women’s social, economic, and political empowerment positively contribute to climate change mitigation and sustainable natural…
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- Report
This report from the Work and Opportunities for Women helpdesk (WOW helpdesk) provides guidance on how the climate change impacts women, what is needed for gender inclusive climate action and how to create gender inclusive opportunities in the green…
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- Evidence digest
This paper examines the gender dimensions of taxation, particularly in lower-income contexts, and explores how tax policy and administration impact women's economic participation and care responsibilities. It reviews existing literature, identifies…
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- Policy paper, Report
This resource sets out the current approach to tax equity and gender equality. It proposes a new approach to incorporating gender equality in tax, fiscal systems and broader feminist fiscal agenda. It sets out how taxation can generate revenue for…
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- Fact sheet
This key sheet synthesises existing evidence, good practice, and key resources for integrating gender and disability inclusion in the finance sector and broader economic development programmes. It highlights approaches for ensuring financial…
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- Policy paper
This resource sets out how a lack of digital skills increases the challenges already faced by women. It provides recommendations on how to overcome barriers to women participating in businesses relying on digital activities. It uses examples from…
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- Guidance document
This resource from the Work and Opportunities for Women helpdesk (WOW helpdesk) is written for multinational businesses operating in low and middle-income countries that are working to decarbonise. It is designed for businesses that rely on…
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- Report
This report from the Work and Opportunities for Women helpdesk (WOW helpdesk) examines the intersections between gender equality, women’s economic empowerment and food security. It explores the following areas:links between gender equality, women’s…
Foundational learning for all: including the most marginalised is possible, pragmatic and a priority
Published:
- Report
This resource is a think piece from the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the Girls’ Education Challenge. It looks at why the most marginalised must be prioritised in global efforts to ensure foundational learning for all…
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- Report
This resource from the Work and Opportunities for Women helpdesk (WOW helpdesk) focuses on evidence around the drivers of transformation of women’s economic empowerment. It looks at how women are impacted by social norms, law, unpaid care and other…