World News Economic Development

Despite progress in legislating women’s economic rights, a new World Bank Group report reveals a stark gap between equality laws on the books and their enforcement in practice. According to the latest Women, Business and the Law 2026 report, laws designed to ensure equal economic opportunities for women are, on average, only half-enforced worldwide, significantly weakening their impact on women’s participation in the economy.

The report assesses legal frameworks and enforcement mechanisms across 190 economies and finds that even where equal-opportunity laws exist, the supportive policies and institutional mechanisms needed to make those laws work are often lacking. On average, countries score 67 out of 100 on the adequacy of legal protections for women, but this drops to 53 for enforcement and just 47 for the systems needed to implement those rights. Only about 4 % of women live in countries that provide nearly full legal equality.

Key areas where enforcement falls short include access to childcare support, protection from violence, and entrepreneurial financing, all critical enablers of women’s participation in job markets and business ownership. The report highlights that improving safety, affordable childcare, and access to credit could materially enhance women’s contributions to economic growth.

Despite these enforcement challenges, the study also notes progress: between 2023 and 2025, 68 economies enacted 113 reforms strengthening women’s economic opportunity laws, including expansions in labor rights and anti-discrimination measures.

The findings underscore that legal reforms alone are not enough. For women to fully contribute to economic growth and inclusive prosperity, a priority for developing regions, stronger implementation systems and enforcement mechanisms are urgently needed.

Source: World Bank press release, Women’s Economic-Opportunity Laws Only Half-Enforced Globally (February 24, 2026)

25.02. 2026/ Urge- DeveWire

Women’s Economic Opportunity Laws Only Half-Enforced Globally

Urge- Growth Daily

Urge- DevWire

Urge Skill-Up

Knowledge is power.

Stay connected. Be informed.