Women in Developing Countries

Women could have a major impact on the economies that are growing, with studies showing better gender parity going hand in hand with increased growth. Yet the least developed countries (LDCs) face significant obstacles in developing and recognizing the gains of women's lives.

Approximately one billion people live in the LDCs, a statistic set to rise by 33 percent by 2030. Most LDCs are working to turn precariousness into strength from Burkina Faso to Cambodia to Kiribati. With G20 countries playing a major role in supporting LDC progress as investors, donors and development partners, advancing LDC women is critical to achieving this goal.

At the 2019 Osaka Summit, the W20, the representative women's engagement community of the G20, is delivering a communiqué to G20 members urging action to address the global gender gap and making specific recommendations. Given the specific constraints of the LDCs in achieving gender equality, there are four ways to lift their women and, at the same time, the poorest countries in the world.

1. Make trade safe for women

Women establish cooperatives at the Rwandan border that promote their access to information and finance. New infrastructure ensures that some women can now trade from a marketplace's protections and there are possibilities for childcare. Michelle Bachelet, High Commissioner for Human Rights at the Tokyo W20, said: "Make women part of your solutions, or you will fail."

2. Bring more women into the workforce

Japan hosts the G20 Summit in 2019, and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is known for his "womenomics" goal of bringing more Japanese women to work. To order to reduce the gender gap, W20 Japan Co-chair Haruno Yoshida recommended urging companies to "implement evidence-based strategies and publicize their success" and encouraging investors to "use gender considerations to research and decision-making."

3. Make spaces for female expertise

"My lack of education did not discourage me, but made me realize that I am an author of suffering through the first-hand experience," said Damchae Dem of the Women Entrepreneurs ' Association of Bhutan, who proposed her business idea to a Geneva audience at the Global Forum on Inclusive Trade for LDCs. Women have generally underestimated insights and interactions. Their assessments of LDC growth, gender and industry are critical.

4. Facilitate equal access to technology

Gender inequalities can be exacerbated by technology. Globally, women's share of internet access is 12 percent lower than men's share. It's 31 percent lower in LDCs. And the gender gap in internet use in LDCs widened between 2013 and 2017, according to UNCTAD's 2018 LDC Report. The W20 Japan proposes that representatives of the G20 move to improve skills and equitable use of technologies and ensure that no individual is left behind. This is especially important and critical for the LDCs.