Higher Growth When More Women Work

Christine Lagarde

“Employers who don’t offer equal opportunities to women simply ignore a large part of the skilled workforce. In many countries, growth could be much higher if more women were in paid employment. In Japan, for example, raising the female labour force participation rate to Northern European levels would permanently raise per capita GDP by 8 per cent. Women also have great entrepreneurial potential. For instance, women-owned companies represent between 30 and 40 per cent of formal small and medium-sized enterprises in emerging markets. Also, raising women’s incomes will improve education levels, as research shows that women spend a larger share of their income on the welfare of their children.”

Christine Lagarde, President, IMF

International Women’s Day, March 8th 2013


You may have an interest in also reading…

The Cornflake Revolution: How Breakfast TV Became a Staple of Britain’s Mornings

The race for ‘bright and early’ viewers began 40 years ago, and changed the way Britain woke up. Asign on

“Mad Men”: A Retrospect – The Men, The Women, and the Martini-Soaked Magic of Madison Avenue

“Mad Men”, the award-winning AMC drama, wasn’t just television; it was a cultural phenomenon. More than a decade after its

Cornelius Vanderbilt: The ‘Commodore’ Who Steamed Straight Ahead to Glory

In the annals of American corporate history, Cornelius Vanderbilt was a true legend: a self-made billionaire who rose from humble