Archive for category: Gender Equality

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Missing Figures: The Gender Wage Gap in Turkmenistan

Gender Wage Gap in TurkmenistanTurkmenistan remains one of the most cut off countries to the rest of the world and because of this, there is a lot of unexplored and undisclosed information towards the gender wage gap in Turkmenistan. However, one can use the data that is available to gauge a better understanding of what the current situation may be and what the next steps are.

About the Gender Wage Gap in Turkmenistan

According to the Government of Turkmenistan’s 2022 Census, both men and women share similar employment and economic status within the country. This census did not measure the gender wage gap in Turkmenistan. Considering that, many Turkmen questioned the validity of this official data, believing that the government altered figures to meet the outward image of the country they were portraying.

However, one can use some of the other known laws Turkmenistan has in place to paint an image of the view that Turkmenistan society holds of women. Human Rights Watch reports that the country holds tight control over its civilians’ rights including restrictions on women and girls. The country’s schooling promotes abstinence with a lack of sexual education, domestic violence is not illegal and there are reports of authorities enforcing informal dress codes for women in the capital, Ashgabat. Additionally, reports alleged that authorities would threaten women’s dismissals if they did not follow the dress codes.

The Women of Cotton Picking

Agriculture is an important aspect of Turkmenistan’s GDP, with cotton farms being a large part of that. The International Labor Organization (ILO) conducted an observation of this industry and found that more than 90% of the cotton pickers were women. The ILO’s observation also found that these workers were often underpaid and the majority of which did not have written contracts.

Additionally, the ILO also found an element of forced mobilization within the industry. Around 12% of public employees participated in cotton picking during harvest season despite their original positions being that of cleaners, teachers or nurses. Workers reported that they could face consequences for refusing to help with cotton picking hence why the ILO was concerned that this work was forced. This presents evidence of a female dominated industry facing unfair compensation and working conditions.

The Turkmenistan Government did formally agree to improve this after the publication of ILO’s report. It increased the number of labor inspections occurring which resulted in the discovery of 2,269 violations and repercussions for those businesses. While this increase was not sufficient in covering the country’s full labor force, it does show the country taking action after the intervention of external organizations.

Obstacles for Turkmen Gender Equality

Currently, two aspects are guarding the steps towards uncovering the gender wage gap in Turkmenistan. The first is whether or not people can trust the statistics that the government is presenting and the second is the fears Turkmens may experience towards speaking out.

It is considered an act of treason in Turkmenistan to oppose the current government, and many activists and independent journalists have faced imprisonment or disappearances for doing so. There are Trade Unions, but the state appoints the leaders and so members may not be comfortable speaking freely about right violations.

Solutions

Pressures from external sources have the potential to make a bigger difference. After the ILO report, the Turkmenistan government did make changes to its labor regulations and there are other organizations that have been in contact with Turkmens to find out their reality.

The Turkmen Helsinki Foundation works with Turkmens living in and outside of the country, conducting interviews of people’s real lives. It has claimed that the gender wage gap in Turkmenistan is closer to 23% based on testimonies of civilians.

The United Nations (UN) reported that Turkmenistan still has a lot of work to do in terms of its legal frameworks in ensuring the achievement of gender equality and the country did sign onto the UN Development Programmes’ Gender Equality Strategy 2022-2025 which allowed the UN to work directly with the Turkmenistan government to make gender equality a priority so that both men and women had the same opportunities. The Programme in Turkmenistan received a BRONZE level Gender Equality Seal for reaching important milestone to progress gender equality in the Turkmen workplace.

Looking Ahead

There are still lots of missing figures and the gender wage gap in Turkmenistan is yet to be released in official government statistics. However, due to external pressure from Turkmen based organizations, the UN and the ILO, Turkmenistan is making slow progress to not only uphold the equal rights of women in the country but also to make its violations and progress more visible to the outside world.

– Alice Dunn

Alice is based in Falkirk, UK and focuses on Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Addressing the Gender Wage Gap in Chad

Gender Wage Gap in ChadChad is a landlocked country in north-central Africa, bordered by Libya to the north and Sudan to the east. As well as being the fifth-largest country in Africa, Chad ranks fourth in gender inequality across the world, according to the U.N. Peacebuilding Fund. Understanding the gender wage gap in Chad is challenging because only 34.4% of indicators needed to monitor the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are available. This leaves considerable gaps in data regarding care work, physical and sexual harassment and women’s access to assets.

Social History Behind the Gender Wage Gap in Chad

Deep-rooted patriarchal traditions have shaped Chadian society alongside cultural practices reinforcing gender hierarchies. In south-eastern regions of Chad such as Salamat, Sila and Guera, the traditional practice of female genital mutilation continues. This practice aims to control female sexuality and enforce celibacy until marriage, driven by fear of community rejection. 

Child marriage in Chad is widespread. According to UN Women, 35% of girls are married before the age of 15 and 60% are married before the age of 18. This traps generations of women in cycles of limited freedom and economic dependence.

These factors contribute to what UNICEF’s researchers call the Pygmalion effect, when a society holds low expectations for women, those expectations continue to shape behavior and reinforce stereotypes. As a result, external expectations limit female economic growth and widen the gender wage gap in Chad.

Gender Wage Gap in Chad Today 

The gender wage gap in Chad is stark. While precise data on the imbalance between hourly wage data remains limited, the World Economic Forum’s 2025 Global Gender Gap report ranked Chad 146th out of 149 countries, with an overall gender parity score of 51.7%.

Further, the UN Women reported that 36.9% of the female population of Chad are employed below the international poverty line, compared to 35.8% of the male population.

While the majority of the female population in Chad hold agricultural roles, 98.99% of women in non-agricultural roles are in informal employment, which can range from family-based enterprises to street vendors or domestic workers. Such work is often unregulated, untaxed and lacking social security, leaving women without financial safety nets.

Women in formal non-agricultural roles face additional barriers to financial equality. Only 14.85% of women aged 15 years and older hold an account at a financial institution, compared to almost 30% of men owning a bank account, according to UN Women. Additionally, 63.6% of the female population do not own a home. Once can trace the gender wage gap to the Chadian school system, which reportedly witnesses a 48% out of school rate for girls in comparison to 29.6% for boys. This study suggests that community and economic pressures divert young girls out of school into domestic work, further increasing the gender wage gap.

Efforts To Close the Gender Wage Gap in Chad 

Several initiatives are striving to combat this pay inequality. Launched in early 2022, UNICEF’s Women in Learning Leadership program works to empower women in school leadership roles, which in turn helps young girls. Evidence across 11,754 schools shows that female-led community schools have a 5.3% lower student dropout rate than male-led schools. Additionally, research shows that there is a strong positive correlation between the decreasing dropout rates for girls as the proportion of female teachers rises. The Women in Learning Leadership program is currently running in 15 provinces across Chad.

Alongside UNICEF’s WiLL program, the World Food Program (WFP) partnered with local Chadian authorities to provide daily nutritious meals in schools, supporting more girls to remain in education. WFP noted how 57% of the 2.3 million school-aged children in Chad go without quality and inclusive education, with many low income households unable to provide children with resources needed to go to school. As a result, the World Food Program distributed school meals to 125,000 children in refugee-hosting areas in 2025. As well as this, the World Food Program revealed that the average pass–rate for girls in WFP assisted schools is 2.5% higher than Chad’s national average.

Literacy and Vocational Training

Beyond school, UNESCO’s Capacity Development for Education program supports women and youth through literacy and vocational training. This initiative trained 9,400 teachers and with its huge success, UNESCO advocated for the program to be expanded. This led the Chadian government to include a focus on literacy and non-formal education in a new $10 million project titled Emergency Project to Reinforce Education and Literacy in Chad.

Further, the Chadian government and UNFPA established the Observatory for the Promotion of Gender Equality and Equity in 2022 to advance women’s rights. In 2023, the Observatory delivered trained 400 members across Ministries and the National Human Rights Commission on integrating gender mainstreaming into plans and budgets.

Conclusion

These efforts have not gone unnoticed. As of February 2024, women held 26.4% of parliamentary seats in Chad, a meaningful marker of political representation and a step closer toward closing the gender wage gap. Another indicator of progression is the percentage of literate women compared with men’s literacy. While both figures are concerningly low, women’s literacy sits at 22.3% in comparison to men’s literacy rate at 14%, representing a result of the drive for girls in education. At a national level, the Ministry of Women continues to advocate for women’s rights, signaling a structural shift in how some are addressing the gender wage gap in Chad.

– Helen Turnbull

Helen is based in Cardiff, UK and focuses on Good News and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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How the Gender Wage Gap in Serbia is Closing

Gender Wage Gap in SerbiaThe International Labour Organization (ILO) reports that women worldwide earn almost 20% less than their male colleagues. Despite making progress towards gender equality, analysts identify the gender wage gap in Serbia as an ongoing social and economic problem.

The wage gap that women in Serbia face reveals other challenges like occupational segregation and labor market barriers. Even so, the government is making efforts to tackle this disparity by implementing programs geared at ensuring equal economic opportunities for all citizens regardless of gender. 

Women in Serbia Earn Less Than Men 

Despite the progress made in gender equality in Serbia, women are still earning less than men. The World Bank statistics estimate that Serbia’s gender wage gap is around 8-11%, implying that women earn roughly 89-92 cents for each euro earned by men. The Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia reports that women are overrepresented in occupations with low salaries and those involving part-time employment. The gender wage gap in Serbia remains smaller than in many countries but continues to affect long-term economic equality.

Some of the causes of these disparities in pay between men and women include the fact that women tend to engage in lower-paying job industries such as education, healthcare and social work, whereas men engage in occupations associated with greater pay in areas including engineering and construction. Researchers have pointed out that wage discrimination includes disparity both in earnings and employment opportunities.

Employment Segregation Drives Income Inequality 

One major cause of Serbia’s wage gap is employment segregation. Women are disproportionately represented in fields like education, healthcare and social services, which have historically offered lower salaries than other jobs. Men, on the other hand, represent the majority in highly compensated fields like construction and engineering. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) asserts that occupational segregation, which places women in lower paid occupations than men, contributes to economic disparity. Occupation segregation restricts women’s opportunities for career development and further widens the wage gaps.

Women-dominated industries usually have lower pay and fewer prospects for advancement. Meanwhile, industries with the majority of males gain from more investment, improved pay plans and increased productivity recognition.

Both vertical – restricted promotion into leadership posts – and horizontal – working in various industries – segregation reinforce income disparity. Analysts report that addressing occupational segregation remains an important step in reducing the gender wage gap in Serbia.

Parenthood Significantly Impacts Women’s Earnings 

Parenthood influences women’s salaries in Serbia. According to UN Women-supported research, mothers commonly experience breaks in their careers after giving birth such as slower wage growth and fewer promotions.

Mothers are also more likely to work flexible or part–time jobs to balance caregiving responsibilities. In contrast, men’s earnings typically remain stable or even increase after becoming fathers, creating what researchers describe as a “motherhood penalty.”

Despite Serbia’s maternity leave laws, women often have long-term financial repercussions when they return to the workforce. Slower salary growth versus males can be caused by fewer working hours, missed promotions and workplace prejudice against mothers.

Government Policies Addressing the Wage Gap

Serbian authorities have employed different policies for eliminating gender disparities within the workforce. The Serbian Gender Equality Law (2021) ensures equal remuneration, eliminates workplace discrimination and encourages monitoring the gender distribution ratio among organizations.

Furthermore, the Government of Serbia collaborates with the European Union through its accession initiatives to enhance labor standards, increase women’s employment rates and prevent discrimination.

The Gender Equality Law in Serbia provides guidelines for corporations to ensure equal opportunity policies, along with strengthening protection against workplace discrimination. With the goal of increasing women’s participation in well-paid sectors, there is government funding for women’s digital entrepreneurship and employment incentives.

Government policy reports and analyses from the European Union link gender equality policies to improved economic productivity and long-term development outcomes.

Organizations Working to Close the Gender Wage Gap in Serbia

Several organizations in Serbia are actively engaged in minimizing gender inequality and encouraging women’s participation in the economy. The Gender Equality Coordination Body of the Government of Serbia prepares national strategies for equality and monitors the implementation of laws on gender equality. International partners also contribute to this effort through their economic programs and policy development.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development funds initiatives aimed at enhancing women’s access to financial resources, training programs and economic opportunities. For example, UN Women collaborates with Serbian agencies to promote women’s empowerment in business financing, training programs and economic opportunities are supported by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

The United Nations Development Programme also assists national partners in formulating gender-sensitive policies and promoting labor market inclusion. These partnerships aim to increase job opportunities, raise awareness of economic disparities and remove structural barriers limiting women from workforce participation.  

Looking Ahead

International organizations and Serbian government agencies continue to bridge the gender wage gap. Having more women participate in the labor force increases productivity and helps the country grow economically, according to analysts at the World Bank. Closing the gender wage gap in Serbia remains essential for achieving long-term economic equality and sustainable development. 

– Avery Hoadley

Avery is based in Burlington, Ontario, Canada and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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5 Things to Know About the Gender Wage Gap in Suriname

Gender Wage Gap in SurinameSuriname is a small, vibrant country in northern South America, bordered by Brazil to the south, Guyana to the west, French-Guiana to the east and the Atlantic Ocean to the north. Suriname is known for its lush tropical rainforests and diverse cultural heritage. However, the gender wage gap in Suriname remains a key issue that Surinamese women face. Here are five things to know about the gender wage gap in Suriname.

5 Facts About Gender Wage Gap in Suriname

  1. UN Women highlights difficulties in assessing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) regarding gender equality in Suriname. There are significant gaps in the data needed to holistically assess the gender wage gap in Suriname. Specifically, data pertaining to gender disparities in unpaid care, poverty rates, domestic work, wage gaps and technological skills is often methodologically inaccurate, sparse or even nonexistent. This lack of research into economic gender disparities hinders the pursuit of full economic equality. Thus, more research on the gender wage gap in Suriname must be conducted before it will be possible to enact policies and practices which will adequately address the issue of economic gender disparities.
  2. Organizations such as the World Bank have recorded enough data to make preliminary assessments of economic gender disparities in Suriname. The World Bank indicates that the legal framework score of Suriname is 71.2%. This legal framework score measures to what extent currently instituted laws support women’s entrepreneurship and professional development opportunities. This figure surpasses the global average of 66.97%, indicating that Surinamese law is progressing toward equality between the genders. For example, recent amendments to Suriname’s Trade Register Act heighten women’s economic opportunities by allowing women to register their businesses without prior spousal consent.
  3. Though the current legal frameworks surpass global averages, supportive frameworks promoting the practical implementation of women’s economic rights score only 25.83% in Suriname, falling behind both regional and global averages. Further, Suriname’s enforcement perception score, which quantifies the extent to which women’s economic rights are enforced, comes out to about 45.77%. This is lower than regional and international averages as well. Thus, though the current laws instated in Suriname largely support women’s economic equality, vast disparities persist between such legal frameworks pertaining to gender equality and their enforcement in practice.
  4. Women in Suriname currently spend much more time on household labor and childcare than men, which exacerbates gender-based professional and economic disparities. Child marriage and youth motherhood hinder the pursuit of women’s economic equality. According to the UNFPA, adolescent mothers in Suriname are 28% more likely to withdraw from the labor market than women who begin having children in adulthood. Child marriage hinders women’s ability to attain education and maintain a career. The IMF estimates that eliminating child marriage in Suriname would help to close the gender wage gap and “could potentially increase per capita growth by 1.44 percentage points.” Although the rate of adolescent fertility in Suriname is slowly declining, it is still currently almost twice the average for countries in similar economic conditions. Enacting policies to combat childhood marriage and maternity, expanding access to high-quality, affordable childcare and improving paternal leave policies so that women don’t have to singlehandedly care for children can alleviate these disparities.
  5. One and a half times more young women than young men are currently unemployed, not receiving an education or not in professional training. Surinamese women are more likely than their male counterparts to have vulnerable jobs, which often pay low wages, provide minimal benefits and lack decent working conditions and protections. Though women are more likely to work in less profitable, vulnerable sectors, the World Bank suggests ways to alleviate this disparity. Specifically, enacting policies which provide certifications in non-traditional, women dominated sectors, guaranteeing equal pay and parental leave for men and women and encouraging workplaces to recruit women through quotas or gender-inclusive job postings would help women access stable jobs. Moreover, increasing women’s access to business training and grants will increase women’s ability to engage in entrepreneurship. Though it is systematically less common for women to own and control productive assets, enacting policies which promote joint titling and enable women to register for property rights can combat this issue.

Solutions

Despite these challenges, Suriname joined the World Bank Group’s International Development Association in late 2024 to achieve long-term social and economic goals and build “a more sustainable and prosperous future for all Surinamese.” Further, Suriname’s Ministry of Economic Affairs, Entrepreneurship and Innovation and several NGOs work to promote full economic equality between men and women in Suriname.

In early 2026, Suriname’s Director of Entrepreneurship, Ms. K. Mathoera, met with WINI UMU ABW movement leaders to discuss ways to promote their shared goals of supporting and expanding women’s entrepreneurship in the country. WINI UMA ABW focuses on promoting women’s economic empowerment through training, networking and strategic mentorships.

Further, the Nationale Vrouwen Beweging (NVB) is an active NGO that promotes women’s entrepreneurship and socio-economic equality in Suriname. The NVB successfully established Ilse Henar Hewitt Juridische Bijstand voor Vrouwen, a foundation which protects women’s rights, provides legal aid to Surinamese women who are victims of discrimination or violence and advocates in favor of non-discrimination policies. The NVB and the Ilse Henar Foundation have successfully advocated in favor or legislation to protect women from sexual harassment and intimidation in the workplace, thus lessening one factor inhibiting women’s participation in the workforce. The organization also works with the EU and the UNDP to support women farmers to develop innovative new ways to cultivate the land and raise livestock in the face of changing weather patterns. 

Looking Ahead

As more women receive access to education, legal assistance and other aid from NGOs and governmental organizations promoting gender equality, Suriname is making promising progress toward political, social and economic equality for women.

– Melody Hubbard

Melody is based in Knoxville, TN, USA and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Gender Wage Gap in Tanzania: Beyond the Hourly Rate

Gender Wage Gap in TanzaniaTanzania has made some notable progress toward gender equality, including the inauguration of its first female president in 2021 and women holding 37.4% of parliamentary seats. Yet the gender wage gap in Tanzania tells a more complicated story when researchers examine labor market data from a recent Integrated Labour Force Survey.

Small Pay Gap, Large Employment Gap

At first glance, Tanzania appears close to achieving pay equality. The unadjusted gender wage gap stands at just 2.9% at the hourly level, which economists consider too small to hold meaningful economic significance. On a monthly basis, women actually earn 4% less than men. However, these figures hide major differences in employment patterns between men and women.

Across every age group, women work fewer paid hours than men. Among employed workers, 33.4% of women work part-time compared to 17.3% of men. In other words, while women who secure paid employment tend to earn roughly the same hourly wages as men, they are less likely to work the same number of hours.

The broader employment picture shows an even more significant gap. Women’s employment rate is 75.5%, compared to 84.6% for men. Meanwhile, unemployment among women reaches 12.7% under Tanzania’s national definition; more than double the 5.8% rate for men.

Unpaid Care Work and Poverty

One of the biggest barriers affecting the gender wage gap in Tanzania is unpaid domestic and care work. Women spend an average of 4.6 hours each day on unpaid care and household responsibilities, compared to men who spend only 1.2 hours. This means women shoulder nearly four times the unpaid care burden.

That imbalance has direct economic consequences, contributing to the higher poverty rates among women. In urban Tanzania, female-headed households face a 20% poverty rate compared to 14% for male-headed households. Women who cannot commit to full-time paid work often move in and out of informal employment as well, where workers typically lack social protection, paid leave and job security. In non-agricultural sectors, 93.8% of employed women work informally, compared to 86.6% of men.

Occupational Segregation and Informality

Women and men also remain concentrated in different sectors of the economy. The Duncan Segregation Index estimates that roughly 30% of workers would need to change sectors to create equal employment distribution between men and women.

Women are more likely to work in care-related fields such as education, health and household services, while men dominate sectors including manufacturing, construction and transport. Women also face barriers to advancement within these occupations, as they hold only 27.9% of senior and middle management positions. Another area of vulnerability is contributing to family work. Nearly 40% of employed women work as contributing family members—unpaid workers assisting on family farms or businesses—compared to 18% of men. In rural areas, the figure rises to nearly 51% of employed women.

Progress and Solutions Underway

When researchers consider factors such as age, marital status, education, occupation and sector, the adjusted gender pay gap becomes statistically insignificant. This suggests that differences in working hours and occupational segregation, rather than direct wage discrimination, account for most of the observed gap. These are areas where policy interventions can make a measurable difference in reducing the gender wage gap in Tanzania.

Tanzania has already introduced laws addressing sexual harassment and gender discrimination, while also providing maternity and paternity benefits. The country has also ratified the ILO Equal Remuneration Convention, which mandates equal pay for men and women for work of equal value. Together, these legal protections create a framework for equal treatment in the workplace. Financial inclusion remains another key area of focus. Expanding women’s access to banking and financial tools will help more women start businesses, manage financial risks and build long-term economic independence.

In December 2024, the World Bank signed a $104 million agreement supporting the Pamoja Project. This is an initiative that aims to directly benefit nearly 320,000 women by expanding economic opportunities and strengthening services that prevent and respond to gender-based violence.

The World Bank also continues to work with Tanzania on implementation frameworks designed to turn legal protections into measurable outcomes. As the UN Women brief notes, collecting better data at more frequent intervals would improve understanding of the gender wage gap and would help policymakers shape more effective policies.

Looking Ahead

Reducing the unpaid care burden, expanding women’s access to formal employment and enforcing equal pay protections remain key to closing the gender wage gap in Tanzania. With recent legal reforms, financial inclusion initiatives and targeted projects like the Pamoja Project, these goals are becoming more realistic with each passing year.

– Camila Correch

Camila is based in Orangeville, Ontario, Canada and focuses on Good News and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Countering Educational Poverty for Dalits in India

Countering Educational Poverty for Dalits in IndiaEducational poverty for Dalits in India is a significant issue. With a caste system and ongoing caste discrimination against Dalits, the lowest castes in India’s social hierarchy, the country has the largest population of illiterate adults in the world at 287 million or 37% of the global total.

If illiteracy is considered an indicator of exclusion from education, then Dalits bear a disproportionate share of this burden, with 62% of Dalits illiterate, indicating they have likely not completed primary school. Informal data suggests that more than 60% of children who drop out of school are Dalit children.

Caste discrimination aligns with gender discrimination to fuel illiteracy. The literacy rate of female Dalits in Bihar was 38.5% in 2011. Despite widely recognizing education as the most effective pathway out of poverty, Dalit children in India continue to face systematic exclusion. 

While the caste system has been abolished in law, discrimination and prejudice against Dalits persist throughout India, including in education. Dalit families face such extreme poverty and unemployment that children are sometimes sold into bonded labor so that families can eat, preventing them from attending school. Many Dalit children who do attend school are malnourished.

In schools, Dalit children are often bullied and discriminated against. In Bihar, where there is a legal obligation to include children from all castes, schools are often abandoned or barely functioning. Dalit children who do attend are treated with cruelty or neglect. Practices of discrimination include being forced to sit at the back of the class and being prevented from touching or interacting with classmates from other castes. Accounts of verbal and physical abuse from both teachers and classmates are well-documented.

The dropout rate for girls is exceptionally high. Children already vulnerable due to caste prejudice face even greater danger, perpetuating a cycle of poverty that has remained unchallenged for generations.

Countering Educational Poverty for Dalits

Education is key to increasing prosperity, security and opportunity in any country. If the Dalit community faces exclusion from learning, the country cannot advance as a whole. Steps have been taken by several developmental bodies, including the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, the National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation and other international bodies.

Numerous charities also aim to educate Dalits in India and achieve educational equality. Guru Ravidas inspired one prominent charitable movement. He was born into a Dalit family in 14th-century India. According to Chaman Lal Madahar, General Secretary of the Sri Guru Ravidass International Organization and Assistant General Secretary of the Shri Guru Ravidass Temple, Newham, London, Shri Guru Ravidass Temples in England are part of a broader movement to support Dalit education across Indian states through financial contributions.

Madahar said these organizations help Dalits in Ravidassia communities with financial support directed to education organizations established in Indian states such as Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar. Funds are transferred by bank or delivered in person, with recipients required to show proper identification. He estimated that the scale of aid from a U.K.-registered charity in this network would be approximately 5% to 8% of the organization’s total resources. Two registered charities confirmed by Madahar provide financial support to Dalit communities for both education and health needs, such as hospitals and schools.

Madahar said the long-term aim is to continue support for education and health for Dalits, while acknowledging that ensuring funds reach the right institutions remains a challenge.

Looking Ahead

There are encouraging signs that efforts to counter educational poverty for Dalits are producing results over time. The Ministry of Education of India’s All India Survey on Higher Education for 2021 to 2022, the most recent available data, notes that of the 43.3 million students enrolled, 15.3% belong to the Scheduled Castes.

Official census data from 2011 suggested that 16.6% of India’s population were Scheduled Castes.

Where Dalits have been given access to education throughout their student lives, they are roughly proportionate in the student body, though there is still work to achieve full representation. These figures contrast with the situation in the 1980s and 1990s, when prejudice meant Dalits did not enjoy proportional representation in higher education. Investment and development work for Dalits appears to be slowly translating into greater higher education participation, with the potential for greater social mobility and career opportunities over time.

– Suneel Mehmi

Suneel is based in London, UK and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Powering Gender Equality: How Women Light the Way Out

Powering Gender EqualityThe World Economic Forum (WEF) defines energy poverty as the lack of access to safe, reliable, quality and environmentally secure energy services for the community. In Africa, 600 million people lack access to electricity, limiting access to information, communication, education and economic opportunities. The energy crisis increases reliance on traditional, unsafe energy sources for day-to-day use, making energy poverty one of the most pressing developmental challenges today.

Women, as primary caregivers and household energy managers, bear the brunt of energy poverty. Bound by societal norms, women and young girls are often responsible for household chores, including cooking and cleaning and reliance on unsafe energy sources leads to the deterioration of both physical and mental health. This often leaves girls and young children unable to leave the home, gain an education, become financially independent or contribute to the development of their communities.

Overall, this creates a chain of events that keeps households in poverty for generations and prevents them from reaching their full potential.

The Powering Gender Equality Project

In response to Africa’s energy poverty, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched the Powering Gender Equality project in Ethiopia, Malawi, Madagascar and Eswatini in 2023. It is supported by the governments of Luxembourg and the Republic of Korea to enhance women’s economic empowerment while combating widespread energy poverty in Africa. The project aims to empower women-led networks and entrepreneurs to establish clean energy businesses, while encouraging energy policies that address gender disparities. 

Addressing Energy Poverty in Eswatini

In Eswatini, where women make up 52% of the population, the project has shown encouraging early results and strong potential. It trained 50 women entrepreneurs from rural communities in using sustainable energy for their homes and businesses, including solar, biogas and waste-to-fuel technologies, as well as essential business skills such as planning, marketing and management. They were also provided with clean energy starter kits, including solar panels, to launch and expand their businesses.

Partnering with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy, the project also developed an early-stage strategy for gender-responsive policies and capacity-building. The aim is to improve gender equality in the energy sector and create a more inclusive environment for energy planning. The trained women plan to establish and expand their businesses, power their homes, strengthen food security, send their children to school and build a sustainable future.

Addressing Energy Poverty in Madagascar

Only 2% of Madagascar’s population has access to clean cooking energy, while the rest relies on unsafe sources such as biomass and firewood. With more than three-fourths of the population living in poverty, many are especially vulnerable to this energy crisis, which contributes to serious health issues, rising pollution levels and deforestation in the region. Here, the gender-equality project trained 15 women in installing and repairing solar hub systems and biogas technologies and in establishing sustainable businesses.

UNDP also worked with local community leaders to raise awareness of these issues and build support for women’s businesses and their involvement in the energy sector. After the training, the women were provided seed funding to sell solar kits and components or to manage nanogrids, promoting sustainable energy within their communities.

The Future

Ultimately, the Powering Gender Equality project demonstrates the untapped potential of women and offers hope for combating energy poverty in Africa and worldwide. It also advances Sustainable Development Goal 7, which aims to ensure access to clean, affordable energy for all. With training, support and policy influence, empowered women can rise to the challenge and help power their households and communities, truly lighting the way out of the energy poverty trap.

– Nishtha Mahendra Kumar

Nishtha is based in London, UK and focuses on Technology and Solutions for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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The Story Behind India’s Midday Meal Scheme

India's Midday Meal SchemeIndia’s Midday Meal Scheme, launched in 1995, is one of the most impactful social welfare programs in the world. The scheme covers more than 110 million children every day. In 2001, the Supreme Court of India issued a directive requiring states to provide school lunches or “midday meals,” in primary government schools.

States like Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have implemented strict measures to ensure students have access to healthy food. The scheme provides free, freshly cooked meals to children in government and government-aided schools. The Akshaya Patra Foundation reports, “The Government of Karnataka was the first state government to involve NGOs in providing midday meals to school children in India.”

The Nutritional Impact of the Scheme

Hunger acts as a significant barrier to education, primarily among children from low-income families. Sometimes, the meal provided by the scheme is the only nutritious meal children receive in a day. The program has been working to improve children’s health.

According to Dhristhi IAS, “India is home to about 30% of the world’s stunted children.” The scheme aims to reduce stunting and improve child growth. The nutritional gains from the meals significantly improve learning outcomes. Better nutrition also enhances other cognitive skills, such as attention span, participation and concentration.

In addition, school enrollment and attendance rates have increased by 16–19 percentage points after the enforcement of midday meals. Families often face the decision of whether to send their children to school due to economic constraints. The Midday Meal Scheme helps address these problems and reduces the financial burden of feeding their children and covering education costs.

How It Changes Lives for Women

Aside from financial costs and hunger, another notable achievement of this scheme is gender equality. According to a study published in ScienceDirect, “The analysis found the effect of the midday meal program on girls to be almost twice its effect on boys for primary school enrollment.” Historically, communities have existed where girls’ desire for education and public roles has been undervalued.

One of the biggest factors is social and economic. This scheme creates an incentive for families to send their daughters to school. It provides girls with access and reduces gender gaps in areas such as education and literacy. In the long run, girls in low-income communities have the opportunity to pursue their education.

Similar to its impact on youth, the Midday Meal Scheme has also contributed to women’s empowerment. Historically, women have been prevented from participating in the economy and from establishing themselves in their communities. However, through the scheme, women are given jobs as assistants and cooks. 

This gives them the chance to provide their households with a stable income and to independently control their finances.

Future of the Scheme

In 2021, the government rebranded the Midday Meal Scheme to Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti. With this new name comes a heavier focus on nutrients for students. The new scheme aims to integrate local and seasonal produce and also introduces new, healthier options like fortified rice. According to MicroSave Consulting, the scheme uses the Automated Monitoring System to prevent mishaps and track the number of meals provided.

India’s Midday Meal Scheme has made a huge impact and is a key part of India’s development. With more attention, it can cover millions more children in other states.

– Hasini Muddapu

Hasini is based in Princeton, NJ, USA and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Social Policies in Paris and Barcelona Reduce Poverty

Social Policies in Paris and BarcelonaAs urban populations across Europe continue to grow, cities are increasingly at the forefront of tackling poverty and inequality. Research shows that urban poverty across the world is shaped not only by income disparity but also by access to housing, health care and other social services. As a result, local governments, which are politically and geographically closer to these challenges, are increasingly important catalysts in designing responsive solutions.

For decades, Paris and Barcelona have led their respective national gender-equality policies to promote urban poverty reduction and prevention. Their application of social policies such as gender-responsive budgeting and comprehensive social service access supports women and children in Barcelona and Paris. These groups are most likely to be systemically impacted by poverty and are prioritized as recipients of targeted care.

Paris, France: Tackling Homelessness and Supporting Families

Despite being France’s largest and most economically productive city, post-pandemic rates of urban poverty in Paris remain higher than the national average. It is widely recognized that the principal driver of such inequality in Paris is the lack of affordable, stable housing. This issue disproportionately affects women and single-parent families.

Since 2000, the French government has attempted to combat the housing crisis. It does this by implementing laws that require cities to have at least 25% social housing, meaning lodgings suitable for low-income families or those with additional needs. The city of Paris currently meets the legal requirements and in 2022, announced plans to reach 40% social housing within the next decade. 

These plans include repurposing “offices, empty schools and garages” to meet growing demand and provide secure, stable housing for thousands more Parisians. As house prices and rents continue to rise across the city, sustaining these policies remains essential to preventing further inequality among low-income households.

Income distribution in Paris is uneven and wage disparities in the region amount to a 21% gap between women and men. Families living in the suburbs, known as the “banlieues,” face further barriers to the kinds of social inclusion that drive poverty alleviation. In response, the Parisian government has made significant progress in supporting low-income, single-parent families, which are statistically more likely to be headed by women.

Monthly financial aid helps reduce cost burdens and stabilize these households, preventing them from falling into urban poverty. By directly addressing housing insecurity and its disproportionate effect on single-parent households, these policies demonstrate how Paris’ structural investment in affordable housing and social support can reduce urban poverty, particularly among women-led households.

Barcelona, Spain: Gender-Responsive Public Spending

Barcelona is a vibrant, youthful city with heralded architecture and cultural icons. However, it also experiences disproportionate rates of urban poverty compared with national averages. Women in Barcelona are significantly more likely to live in conditions of poverty than men, accounting for 20.9% of those at risk of poverty.

In response, the government of Barcelona introduced its “Strategy against the feminization of poverty” initiative in 2016. Over the span of a decade, the policies have worked to address equal hiring practices, workplace treatment, income equality and social support for working mothers and caregivers. They have also systematically evaluated how public spending impacts men and women differently and the subsequent impact on the urban economy.

This approach, known as gender-responsive budgeting, ensures that public spending and resources are directed toward the specific needs of women, especially those balancing employment and caregiving responsibilities. Other policies, such as B-MINCOME, have provided financial support to low-income households to help families meet basic needs and improve access to employment and social services. They are predicted to empower hundreds of thousands of citizens financially.

The B-MINCOME initiative addresses rising poverty and social inequalities, in which the average income of Barcelona’s lowest-earning households has dropped by 27% over the last few years. By directing such investment and proactive welfare toward those most affected by poverty, the city is working to reduce inequality at its root. This demonstrates how city-level policy can create more effective urban poverty reduction.

Different Approaches, Same Outcome

While Paris and Barcelona have adopted different approaches to tackling inequality, both demonstrate the effectiveness of targeted, city-level strategies in addressing the drivers of urban poverty. Whether through structural investment in housing or gender-responsive public spending, these policies prioritize those most affected, particularly women and low-income households. As urban populations continue to grow, these approaches offer valuable insights into how local governments can contribute to meaningful and sustainable urban poverty reduction.

Social policies in Paris and Barcelona are shaped around lived realities. This creates more inclusive, resilient and empowered communities for the future.

– Hannah Michie

Hannah is based in Nice, France and focuses on Good News and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Top Facts About Gender Violence in Morocco

Gender Violence in MoroccoMorocco is a sovereign nation in the Maghreb region of North Africa. Located on the northwest coast of Africa, it borders the Atlantic and Mediterranean Seas, bridging Africa and Europe. It is a constitutional monarchy with a rich, diverse culture, known for its mix of Arab, Berber and European influences, with its capital being Rabat.

Contributing Factors

  1. More than half of women report experiencing violence. As of 2019, about 57% of women in Morocco have been or are currently victims of domestic violence. This translates to six million individuals being abused at the hands of their partners.
  2. Society is not concerned. According to the U.S. Department of State, Moroccan police treat domestic violence as a social issue rather than a criminal matter.
  3. Violence takes many forms, not only physical. These include sexual assault, as well as psychological and emotional abuse. Psychological abuse is the most common, affecting more than 95.8% of non-single women in 2018.
  4. Domestic environments are a major site of abuse in Morocco. A large share of violence occurs within family or intimate partner relationships. Among teenage girls, more than half report experiencing some form of violence. This highlights domestic abuse as a major driver of gender-based violence in Morocco.
  5. Underreporting is common. Only about 3% of survivors formally report violence, often due to stigma or fear. This is often linked to family pressure, where abuse is treated as a private matter that should not be disclosed publicly. Survivors are discouraged from reporting, especially through legal channels, due to concerns about the consequences. These include children growing up without a father and the loss of perceived protection or financial support from husbands.
  6. Cultural norms contribute to silence. Economic dependency and unequal gender power dynamics are frequently cited as barriers to leaving abusive relationships.
  7. Tens of thousands of cases are recorded annually. Between July 2024 and June 2025, 28,980 cases of violence against women were reported in Morocco.

Call to Action

To address gender-based violence, Morocco has implemented policies regarding child and forced marriage laws following the Amina Filali case. Filali was a 16-year-old who killed herself after being forced to marry her rapist. The Moroccan government reformed its penal code to raise the legal age of marriage, criminalize forced marriages and increase protections for victims of sexual violence. 

Beyond legislation, Morocco has also established shelters for survivors, hotlines for reporting abuse and awareness campaigns to educate the public about gender-based violence. Furthermore, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) such as the Democratic Association of Moroccan Women provide legal aid, psychological support and vocational training to help survivors gain independence and escape abusive environments. 

Conclusion

Violence against women in Morocco has prevailed for centuries. It dates back to historical social structures shaped by patriarchal family systems, tribal and kinship traditions and legal norms that gave men greater authority within households. For much of Morocco’s history, women’s economic dependence, limited access to education and social expectations around marriage and obedience reinforced unequal power dynamics. 

Domestic matters were often treated as private family issues rather than legal concerns. However, recently, efforts have been made to change this, including the passing of Law 103-13 (Morocco) in 2018. The law criminalizes certain forms of violence against women and aims to improve protection and prevention efforts. 

However, despite these legal reforms, historical social structures continue to influence attitudes toward domestic violence today.

– Veda Mungara

Veda is based in Cupertino, CA, USA and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr