Women's Legal Rights over 50 Years : Progress, Stagnation or Regression?
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World Bank, Washington, DC
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Using a newly compiled database of
women's property rights and legal capacity covering 100
countries over 50 years, this paper analyzes the triggers
and barriers to reform. The database documents gender gaps
in the ability to access and own assets, to sign legal
documents in one's own name, and to have equality or
non-discrimination as a guiding principle of the
country's constitution. Progress in reducing these
constraints has been dramatic -- half of the constraints
documented in the 1960s had been removed by 2010. However,
some sticky areas persist where laws have not changed or
have even regressed. The paper analyzes potential drivers of
reforms. A significant finding is that the relationship with
a country's level of development and the extent of its
reforms is not straightforward. For the first half of the
sample, there was no systematic connection; only in the last
25 years have increases in income been associated with
higher probabilities for reform, but only in lower-income
countries. With the remaining constraints as prevalent in
middle- as low-income countries, increased growth is not
necessarily going to spark additional reforms. Clearer
patterns emerge from the momentum created by international
conventions, such as the Committee to Eliminate All Forms of
Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), women's political
representation at the national level, mobilization of
women's networks, and increasing labor force
participation in sectors that provide a voice for women,
which are positive forces for change. Conversely, conflict
and weak rule of law can entrench a discriminatory status
quo. And much is at stake; strengthening women's legal
rights is associated with important development outcomes
that can benefit society as a whole.
Palabras clave
ACCESS TO CAPITAL, ACTIONS, ACTS, ADULT LITERACY, AGE OF MARRIAGE, AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION, AGRICULTURAL SECTOR, ARMED CONFLICT, ARMED CONFLICTS, BANK ACCOUNT, BANK ACCOUNTS, BIASES, BREADWINNER, CASE LAW, CHILD CARE, CITIZEN, CITIZENS, CITIZENSHIP, CIVIL LAW, CIVIL LAW SYSTEMS, CIVIL SOCIETY, CIVIL WAR, CODES, COLLATERAL, COMMON LAW, CONSTITUTIONAL COURT, CONSTITUTIONS, CORRUPTION, COURT, CREDITOR, CRIME, CRIMINAL, CUSTOMARY LAW, CUSTOMARY LAWS, DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, DEVELOPMENT FINANCE, DEVELOPMENT POLICY, DISCRIMINATION, DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN, DISCRIMINATORY LAWS, DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH, DIVERSIFICATION, DIVORCE, DOMESTIC POLITICS, EARNINGS, ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT, ECONOMIC EQUALITY, ECONOMIC GROWTH, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES, ECONOMIC POLICY, ECONOMIC RIGHTS, EDUCATION FOR GIRLS, ELIMINATION OF DISCRIMINATION, EMPLOYEE, EMPLOYERS, EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, EMPOWERING WOMEN, EMPOWERMENT, ENROLLMENT, EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES, EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN, EQUAL RIGHTS, EQUAL TREATMENT, EQUALITY, EQUALITY BEFORE THE LAW, EQUALITY FOR WOMEN, EXPENDITURE, FAMILY LAW, FAMILY LAWS, FEMALE, FEMALE LABOR FORCE, FEMALE POPULATION, FEMALES, FEMINIST, FINANCIAL SUPPORT, FIRST MARRIAGE, FOREIGN LAW, FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION, GENDER, GENDER ASSESSMENT, GENDER DIFFERENCES, GENDER DIFFERENTIALS, GENDER EQUALITY, GENDER GAP, GENDER GAPS, GENDER LAW, GENDER PARITY, GENDER RELATIONS, GENDER RIGHTS, GENDER] LAWS, GENDERS, GENOCIDE, GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT, GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT, GROUP RIGHTS, HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD, HEAD OF HOUSEHOLDS, HEADS OF HOUSEHOLD, HEALTH CARE, HOME, HOMES, HOUSEHOLD DUTIES, HOUSEHOLD FINANCES, HOUSEHOLD INCOME, HOUSEHOLDS, HUMAN RIGHTS, HUSBAND, HUSBANDS, IMPLEMENTATION OF LAWS, INCOME GROUPS, INDIGENOUS POPULATIONS, INEQUALITIES, INEQUALITY, INFANT, INFANT HEALTH, INFANT MORTALITY, INFANT MORTALITY RATE, INHERITANCE, INHERITANCE RIGHTS, INTERNATIONAL BANK, INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS, INTERNATIONAL FOOD POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INTERNATIONAL LAW, INVESTMENT IN CHILDREN, LABOR FORCE, LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION, LABOR LAWS, LABOR MARKET, LABOR SUPPLY, LAND OWNERSHIP, LAW REFORM, LAWS, LEGAL AGE, LEGAL CAPACITY, LEGAL CHANGE, LEGAL FRAMEWORK, LEGAL ISSUES, LEGAL PLURALISM, LEGAL REFORMS, LEGAL REQUIREMENT, LEGAL RIGHTS, LEGAL STATUS, LEGAL SYSTEMS, LEGISLATION, LEGISLATORS, LEVEL OF DEVELOPMENT, LIFE EXPECTANCY, LIMITED ACCESS, LITERACY, LITIGATION, LIVE BIRTHS, LOW-INCOME COUNTRIES, MALARIA, MALE HEIRS, MALNOURISHED CHILDREN, MARITAL PROPERTY, MARRIAGES, MARRIED COUPLES, MARRIED MAN, MARRIED WOMAN, MATERNITY LEAVE, MINORITY, MINORITY COMMUNITIES, MOBILIZATION OF WOMEN, MORTALITY, NATIONAL LEVEL, NATIONAL LEVELS, NATIONAL SECURITY, NATIONALS, NATURAL RESOURCES, NEWBORN, NUTRITION, OFFENDERS, OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN, OWNERSHIP RIGHTS, PARLIAMENTARY SEATS, PARLIAMENTARY UNION, PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN, PEACE, PERSONAL PROPERTY, PERSONAL STATUS, PERSONAL STATUS LAWS, POLICY DISCUSSIONS, POLICY MAKERS, POLICY RESEARCH, POLICY RESEARCH WORKING PAPER, POLITICAL LEADERSHIP, POLITICAL PARTICIPATION, POLYGAMOUS MARRIAGES, POLYGAMY, POST CONFLICT RECONSTRUCTION, PRIMARY EDUCATION, PRIMARY SCHOOL, PRIOR TO MARRIAGE, PROGRESS, PROPERTY OWNERSHIP, PROPERTY RIGHTS, PUBLIC SERVICES, REAL ESTATE, RELIGIOUS LAW, RELIGIOUS SYSTEMS, RESPECT, ROLE MODELS, ROLE OF WOMEN, ROMAN LAW, RULE OF LAW, SAFETY NET, SANCTION, SECONDARY EDUCATION, SELF-EMPLOYMENT, SEX, SHADOW REPORT, SHADOW REPORTS, SINGLE WOMEN, SLUM DWELLERS, SOCIAL NORMS, SPOUSE, SPOUSES, STATE LAW, TERTIARY EDUCATION, TERTIARY LEVEL, TRADITIONAL PRACTICES, TREATIES, TREATY, UNMARRIED MEN, UNMARRIED WOMEN, VILLAGE, VIRTUAL LIBRARIES, WAGE DIFFERENTIALS, WIFE, WILL, WIVES, WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT, WOMEN LAWYERS, WOMEN'S ISSUES, WORLD CONFERENCE, WORLD CONFERENCE ON WOMEN, YOUNG ADULT, YOUNG WOMEN