Archive for category: Gender Equality

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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

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Gender Inequality in Azerbaijan

Gender Inequality in Azerbaijan Azerbaijan, in southwestern Asia, has a population of more than 10.2 million people, with more than 5 million women. While progress has been made through projects by the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF) and the Women’s Association for Rational Development (WARD), patriarchal values and gender stereotypes continue to hinder socioeconomic and political equality.

Gender Disparity in the Workforce

Azerbaijan has made legal progress on women’s employment, but gender segregation and pay inequality limit women’s economic participation. Women make up 17% of the workforce in transport and storage, 11% in energy and 8% in construction. According to the World Bank, women in Azerbaijan earn 35% less than men on average.

According to the United Nations (U.N.) Women’s data, gender inequality in Azerbaijan remains a structural problem across both public and private sectors. Women and girls aged 15 and above spend an average of 25.4% of their daily time on unpaid care and domestic work. This unequal burden limits women’s ability to participate in paid employment, education and public life.

Women in Politics

According to the Baku Research Institute, the level of women’s political participation remains low. In 2024, women’s representation in Milli Majlis, the national parliament, reached 20.8%. In 2025, women’s representation in municipalities was 39.34%. According to 2025 statistics, there are no female heads of executive authorities or ministers in Azerbaijan, and there are only six female deputy members. According to the Global Gender Gap Index, Azerbaijan ranked 133rd out of 146 countries in 2024 in terms of political participation.

Gender stereotypes, women’s economic dependence and the political environment in Azerbaijan function as interconnected factors that affect women’s political participation. Society often perceives a woman’s place as being in the family and at home, while men are regarded as the main decision makers.

Women-Led Initiatives to Tackle Gender Inequality

In Azerbaijan, efforts to address gender inequality have taken the form of women-led civic initiatives. UNDEF has funded a project to establish Azerbaijan’s first women’s parliament, giving female leaders a platform to push for stronger rights and better governance. The initiative brings together women from civil society, business and academia to address issues such as girls’ education, maternal health, early marriage and support for female entrepreneurs. The project aims to turn women’s participation into influence on public policy.

WARD is an independent nongovernmental organization in Azerbaijan dedicated to advancing gender equality, women’s empowerment and sustainable development. Over the years, WARD has launched the country’s first maternity school, the first Women’s Resource Center, the Women’s Dialogue School and its first expert group on gender. The organization has also led several awareness-raising campaigns across the country.

In an interview with U.N. Women, WARD chair Shahla Ismayil said that women-led think tanks occupy a space where expertise meets empathy and where knowledge becomes a tool for change. She added that initiatives such as the Women’s Dialogue School prepare a new generation of women leaders to enter public life and propose practical solutions, ensuring that women’s leadership becomes institutional rather than episodic.

Looking Ahead

Women in Azerbaijan have made measurable efforts to address gender inequality despite societal challenges. NGOs and activists continue to work toward structural change, with initiatives such as the women’s parliament and WARD’s programs offering pathways for greater representation and economic participation.

– Bonnie Parkinson

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

Photo: Flickr

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Women-Centered Approaches: Countering India’s Gender Gap

India's Gender GapIn the past century, research and individual experiences have revealed the vast impact of gender inequality on women worldwide. India’s poverty landscape reflects this reality. As a result, experts and policymakers consistently stress the importance of reducing India’s gender poverty gap.

The recent COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted earlier progress and deepened disparities between men and women. Many women, including those who were the sole breadwinners of their families, lost their jobs. This subsequently led to more families being pushed below the poverty line.

Since then, the issue has called for strategic initiatives and approaches to address the widening gender inequality in India.

India’s Gender Gap in Poverty

The poverty gender gap in India is deeply rooted and begins affecting women from birth. A 2021 study conducted by the World Bank found that among children from low-income households, the number of girls was higher than that of boys. While the study uses data from more than 90 countries, the difference mainly occurred in India. 

Moreover, this difference only persists in the older age groups. The International Labor Organization (ILO) discovered in 2022 that Indian women earn 20-30% less than their male counterparts. Additionally, social impediments, such as the nature of jobs, complicate women’s efforts to achieve financial independence. 

Other societal differences, such as class and caste, further widen the gender gap. One study, focusing on Scheduled Castes (SC) and on Urban versus Rural poverty, from 2021 identified this difference. The study states that SC women earn only 55% of what women from other castes earn. 

Additionally, there also arises a difference within this subset when considering urban and rural differences. SC women in urban areas earn slightly more than their rural counterparts. However, it remains lower than that of urban women from other castes. Furthermore, according to another 2023 report, female-headed households showed higher odds of becoming urban poor than male-headed households. 

Why Are Women Becoming More Vulnerable to Poverty?

When analyzing the reasons behind India’s gender gap in poverty, several causes come to light. As mentioned earlier, social impediments pose a major difficulty for women. For instance, in Indian society, women often work as domestic help, as in other countries. Domestic work, apart from paying less, is also not included in the national GDP. 

This indicates that women’s earnings go unaccounted for in national and international statistics. Relatedly, due to the existing patriarchal model, women also face difficulties due to male-favoring inheritance laws. Studies showed that only 13% of women in India own agricultural land, compared to men. Due to the aforementioned laws, women find it harder to gain control of their assets. 

However, one of the major drivers of rising poverty among women is limited access to education. In India, school dropout rates are often alarmingly higher among girls than boys. Early marriages in families residing below the poverty line result in many women not having their high school diplomas. 

The Indian Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation (MOSPI) released a detailed education report in 2016. In this report, females account for higher numbers in nearly every category of student dropouts aged 5 to 29, with only a few exceptions. Additionally, according to the 2020 census, the female literacy rate was 70.3%, 14.4 percentage points lower than the male literacy rate of 84.7%. The lack of education hinders a wide range of opportunities that could help women become financially independent. 

Government Initiatives and Programs Aiding Women in Poverty

Women’s empowerment has been an integral part of the Indian government’s agenda in the last few decades. From abolishing Sati to providing education for girls, Indian lawmakers have always focused on opening new avenues of concession for women. While there are implementation issues, the government provides funding for new women-centered initiatives every year. 

In 2026, leaders announced schemes for girl child, for women entrepreneurs and capital development. The “Lakpathi Didi Scheme” aims to help women in self-help groups earn more than $1,000. This strategy, when effectively implemented, can alleviate poverty largely among women. 

Another economic development initiative, the Trade Related Entrepreneurship Assistance and Development (TREAD) Scheme, aims to support the growth of women entrepreneurs. Under the scheme, the government enables eligible women to access business loans of up to $3,224 to establish their enterprises. 

Thirdly, officials also announced the “Stand Up India Mission,” focusing on lower-strata social groups. Women from the SC and the Scheduled Tribes are the target audience for this initiative. It provides loans ranging from $12,900 to $129,000. Through this, the government claims to cover nearly 75% of the production costs for these women’s startups.

Finally, in the spirit of providing financial security, parents of newborn girls can now open bank accounts offering high interest rates. This program, called the “Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana,” was launched as part of the Girl Child Scheme from 2015. 

Other Gender Gap Reduction Strategies

Experts and lawmakers have stated that reducing the gender gap requires more than a single approach. The above governmental schemes directly address women’s economic deficiencies, aiming to elicit long-term solutions. For this reason, world changemakers believe that education is a powerful tool for women’s empowerment.

Shivani Nithyanandhan is a member of Kongu Business Forum, a platform that aims to empower individuals in business in the Kongu region. She spoke to The Borgen Project about different strategies that could help women become financially secure. Speaking of education, Nithyanandhan stated, “Access to education and skill development is key. When women are equipped with relevant skills, whether in business, digital literacy or vocational areas, they gain the confidence and ability to earn independently.” 

Nithyanandhan also discussed the need for a supportive community for women in poverty to help them set up businesses. The Kongu Business Forum regularly conducts knowledge-sharing sessions to educate women about business opportunities in their locale. Since the Kongu region’s major source of income is agriculture, Nithyanandhan says that the forum aims to help women explore opportunities in agri-related enterprises.

Looking Ahead

India’s gender gap in poverty, similar to that of other countries, has received focus over the last few decades. While visible results do exist, women’s lack of awareness about upliftment schemes continues to hinder widespread growth. Nithyanandhan from the Kongu Business Forum discusses the need for financial and digital literacy that could help prevent this issue. 

She also discussed how women’s empowerment within impoverished populations can have a ripple effect. When educated and financially empowered, the female population can positively impact the growth of their community. In this manner, reducing the gender gap also contributes to reducing global poverty.

– Shafika Fathima 

Shafika is based in Chennai, India and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Gender Equality in Nigeria: Fighting For Female Safety

Gender Equality in NigeriaNigeria has a population of 242.4 million, making it the most populous country in Africa and the sixth most populous in the world. About 46% of Nigeria’s population live below the international poverty line and 3.4 million people are internally displaced including vulnerable women and girls. A further 60% of adolescent girls are absent from secondary school.

Gendered Issues in Nigeria

Gender equality in Nigeria remains an ongoing struggle. According to Girls Not Brides, 12% of girls marry before the age of 15 and 30% before 18. These statistics are influenced by poverty and education rates, with 71% of women with no formal education reporting having married before the age of 18. According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), one in three women experiences physical violence by the age of 15, often related to domestic circumstances.

Poverty is a driving factor, as 46% of the population lives below the poverty line. Economic pressures can lead families to arrange early marriages, which perpetuates unequal gender norms and limits women’s educational and professional opportunities.

Women for Women International

Women for Women International (WFWI) is a nonprofit organization established in 1993 that works to support women across 17 countries affected by conflict or injustice. Since 2000, WFWI Nigeria has reached more than 84,306 women. Its flagship program, Stronger Women Stronger Nations (SWSN), promotes gender equality in Nigeria through vocational and financial skills training, academic education, health education and support networks for vulnerable women.

WFWI has also taken action to address the root causes of gender inequality by engaging men. Given the data on domestic abuse, forced marriage and gender-based violence (GBV), WFWI identified that creating allies within the male population in Nigeria is integral to resolving gender inequality.

According to a study published in the Pan African Medical Journal in 2022, the highest prevalence of physical or sexual intimate partner violence was reported in Sub-Saharan Africa, at 65.64%. In Nigeria, information from the 2018 National Demographic Health Survey shows that 33% of women between 15 and 49 experience physical or sexual violence. The prevalence rate of GBV is 74.4% among survivors under 18, further reinforcing the risks for girls in early marriages.

WFWI’s men’s engagement program launched in Nigeria in 2002 with the aim of educating men on women’s health, the social and economic issues women face, and how men can offer support. The program creates focus groups and targets men in the community with religious, military or civil society backgrounds, creating a pathway for these men to advocate for women’s rights and gender equality in Nigeria.

Results of SWSN and Men’s Engagement

SWSN has had a measurable impact on gender equality in Nigeria since its launch in 2000. Change agents, women who received SWSN training and spread it through the community, have navigated the challenge of educational equality by establishing a mixed-gender primary school in the state of Bauchi. These agents were responsible for bringing nearly half of the 92 students to this school.

The program has reached more than 92,000 Nigerian women, with more than 5,000 graduating from SWSN in 2024. WFWI reports that graduates doubled their monthly earnings through newly acquired business skills, and 83% of graduates reported feeling actively involved in their public and private lives, compared with 36% at enrollment. Women’s knowledge of their political and national rights increased from 55% to 92%.

In the men’s focus groups, results have also been positive. WFWI acknowledges that women’s empowerment is not only achieved by reducing men’s power but that gender equity also benefits men’s health, household environments, financial matters and communities. Nearly 53,000 men have been reached since 2002, with more than 17,000 joining the project in Nigeria. One man, Murhula, has claimed that “my life has really changed” from his participation. His realization that “We thought that certain jobs are just for men […], but today I can say that the work a man can do, a woman also can do it.”

Looking Ahead

With the continuation of SWSN and the men’s engagement program, progress toward gender equality in Nigeria extends beyond policy into education, homes and communities. WFWI’s model demonstrates that addressing gender inequality requires engaging both women and men.

– Jaya Noonan

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

Photo: Unsplash