Toward Gender Equality in East Asia and the Pacific

Submitted by asklar on Mon, 06/25/2012 - 9:38am

Report from the World Bank.

KEY FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Recent progress in East Asia and Pacific:
  • Gender gaps in access to education have closed dramatically – including at the secondary and tertiary levels.  
  • The region has made significant advances in a number of health outcomes. 
  • Female labor force participation is relatively high in the region; roughly 70 percent of women in East Asia and the Pacific participate in economic activities, higher than any other region.  
  • Women in East Asia also have higher participation in the management and ownership of firms than in other developing regions.
Remaining challenges:
  • Gender gaps in access to basic education remain in a few countries 
  • Maternal mortality remains high in lower-income and several Pacific countries. 
  • Women still earn less than men for similar work – around 70 to 80 percent, on average.
  • Women continue to have weaker voice and influence than men in the home, in politics, and in civil society.  
Role for public action:
  • Promoting gender equality in endowments and human development.  
  • Taking measures to close gender gaps in economic opportunity.  
  • Taking initiatives to strengthen women’s voice and influence – and to protect them from violence.
  • Fostering opportunities and managing risks associated with emerging regional trends.

URL: 
http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/2012/06/17/toward-gender-equality-in-east-asia-and-the-pacific