Using Fiscal Policy and Public Financial Management to Promote Gender Equality

2Trends in gender equality and women’s development¹

I. Introduction

In the past several decades, all regions of the world have witnessed movement toward greater gender equality and the advancement of women measured by a wide range of economic, social, and political indicators. Nonetheless, in many regions of the world, women remain at a disadvantage compared to men in key areas of economic, social, and political life. Goal 5 of the Sustainable Development Goals, adopted by the United Nations in 2015, calls for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls over the next 15 years.²

This chapter briefly examines trends in indicators of gender equality and the advancement of women, using evidence derived both from individual indicators ...