Narrowing the gap between the number of working men and women can boost emerging and developing economies' gross domestic product by about 8 per cent over the next few years, according to the International Monetary Fund.
Raising the rate of female labour force participation by 5.9 percentage points in these countries will help drive inclusive growth amid the world's weakest medium-term economic growth outlook in more than three decades, the IMF said on Wednesday.
Global growth is expected to languish at just 3 per cent over the next five years but closing the gender gap in labour force participation can help countries gain "substantial" returns.
Only 47 per cent of women are active in today’s labour markets, compared with 72 per cent of men, according to the Washington-based lender.
The average global gap has fallen by only 1 percentage point annually over the past three decades and "remains unacceptably wide".
"With traditional growth engines sputtering, many economies are missing out by not tapping women’s potential," the fund said.
"To blame are unfair laws, unequal access to services, discriminatory attitudes and other barriers that prevent women from realising their full economic potential. The result is a shocking waste of talent, leading to losses in potential growth."
Gender gaps continue to persist in education, health, work, wages and labour participation across developed and developing countries.
This is despite numerous studies that have highlighted the economic case, in addition to the basic human rights argument, for gender equality.
A report by the World Economic Forum in June showed that women will not achieve equality with men globally for another 131 years, with only tepid progress made in closing stubbornly large gender gaps, prompting the urgent need for action.
For the 146 countries covered in the 2023 index, the economic participation and opportunity gap has closed by 60.1 per cent, according to the WEF report.
Research reports consistently underscore the economic benefits of gender equality.
Reducing the current wage and employment gap between men and women may boost the GDP of developed and emerging markets by 5 per cent to 6 per cent, Goldman Sachs said in a July report.
Closing these gaps completely could result in a 10 per cent GDP boost for developed market economies, rising to 13 per cent in emerging markets, it said.
The increasing participation of women in Saudi Arabia's workforce is expected to boost the country’s economy by $39 billion, or 3.5 per cent, by 2032, if the current rate of growth continues, S&P Global Ratings said earlier this month.
Raising the rate of female labour force participation in emerging and developing economies by 5.9 percentage points equates to the average amount by which the top 5 per cent of countries reduced the participation gap during 2014 to 2019, the IMF said.
That is more than the economic “scarring” or output losses inflicted on countries by the Covid-19 pandemic, the fund's data showed.
Complementing measures to narrow gender gaps with other reforms, such as improving governance, strengthening institutions and unlocking capital for investment, will "greatly amplify" these returns, it said.
However, current policies "do not come close" to closing gender gaps.
Without a "significant step up" in policy efforts, gender gaps may in fact never close, the IMF said in a research paper earlier this month.
"Absent a strengthened and systematic policy effort, some of the current misallocation of women’s talents and abilities could persist perpetually," it said.
While countries have made progress in increasing women’s participation, economies of all income levels experienced several setbacks – a result of shocks, crises and policy reversals, according to the IMF's analysis of three decades of data.
The pandemic, for example, has eroded progress closing gender gaps, especially for women with young children.
Such setbacks hinder and often reverse progress toward gender equality, the IMF said.
As a result, gender gaps in labour force participation will narrow but never close if countries continue with current policies.
"Countries must step up efforts to break down barriers to women’s participation in the labour market – such as limited access to education, health, assets, finance, land, legal rights, and care services," the IMF urged.
"They should systematically take account of how macroeconomic, structural, and financial policy packages impact women."
Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital
EVIL%20DEAD%20RISE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ELee%20Cronin%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAlyssa%20Sutherland%2C%20Morgan%20Davies%2C%20Lily%20Sullivan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%205%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Meatless Days
Sara Suleri, with an introduction by Kamila Shamsie
Penguin
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
SHOW COURTS ORDER OF PLAY
Wimbledon order of play on Saturday, July 8
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Centre Court (4pm)
Agnieszka Radwanska (9) v Timea Bacsinszky (19)
Ernests Gulbis v Novak Djokovic (2)
Mischa Zverev (27) v Roger Federer (3)
Court 1 (4pm)
Milos Raonic (6) v Albert Ramos-Vinolas (25)
Anett Kontaveit v Caroline Wozniacki (5)
Dominic Thiem (8) v Jared Donaldson
Court 2 (2.30pm)
Sorana Cirstea v Garbine Muguruza (14)
To finish: Sam Querrey (24) leads Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (12) 6-2, 3-6, 7-6, 1-6, 6-5
Angelique Kerber (1) v Shelby Rogers
Sebastian Ofner v Alexander Zverev (10)
Court 3 (2.30pm)
Grigor Dimitrov (13) v Dudi Sela
Alison Riske v Coco Vandeweghe (24)
David Ferrer v Tomas Berdych (11)
Court 12 (2.30pm)
Polona Hercog v Svetlana Kuznetsova (7)
Gael Monfils (15) v Adrian Mannarino
Court 18 (2.30pm)
Magdalena Rybarikova v Lesia Tsurenko
Petra Martic v Zarina Diyas
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
Pots for the Asian Qualifiers
Pot 1: Iran, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, China
Pot 2: Iraq, Uzbekistan, Syria, Oman, Lebanon, Kyrgyz Republic, Vietnam, Jordan
Pot 3: Palestine, India, Bahrain, Thailand, Tajikistan, North Korea, Chinese Taipei, Philippines
Pot 4: Turkmenistan, Myanmar, Hong Kong, Yemen, Afghanistan, Maldives, Kuwait, Malaysia
Pot 5: Indonesia, Singapore, Nepal, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Mongolia, Guam, Macau/Sri Lanka
Tailors and retailers miss out on back-to-school rush
Tailors and retailers across the city said it was an ominous start to what is usually a busy season for sales.
With many parents opting to continue home learning for their children, the usual rush to buy school uniforms was muted this year.
“So far we have taken about 70 to 80 orders for items like shirts and trousers,” said Vikram Attrai, manager at Stallion Bespoke Tailors in Dubai.
“Last year in the same period we had about 200 orders and lots of demand.
“We custom fit uniform pieces and use materials such as cotton, wool and cashmere.
“Depending on size, a white shirt with logo is priced at about Dh100 to Dh150 and shorts, trousers, skirts and dresses cost between Dh150 to Dh250 a piece.”
A spokesman for Threads, a uniform shop based in Times Square Centre Dubai, said customer footfall had slowed down dramatically over the past few months.
“Now parents have the option to keep children doing online learning they don’t need uniforms so it has quietened down.”
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Best Foreign Language Film nominees
Capernaum (Lebanon)
Cold War (Poland)
Never Look Away (Germany)
Roma (Mexico)
Shoplifters (Japan)
EPL's youngest
- Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)
15 years, 181 days old
- Max Dowman (Arsenal)
15 years, 235 days old
- Jeremy Monga (Leicester)
15 years, 271 days old
- Harvey Elliott (Fulham)
16 years, 30 days old
- Matthew Briggs (Fulham)
16 years, 68 days old
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
Stan%20Lee
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20David%20Gelb%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
'HIJRAH%3A%20IN%20THE%20FOOTSTEPS%20OF%20THE%20PROPHET'
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEdited%20by%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Idries%20Trevathan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPages%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20240%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hirmer%20Publishers%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EAvailable%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
