Not just more, but better: fostering quality of employment for women

This working paper explores the multiple dimensions of women's access to good quality jobs. While addressing gender gaps in labor force participation rates remains a critical concern in several countries, it is essential to also focus on the quality of the jobs that women have access to and ask whether those jobs can be transformative for women's empowerment. Three main dimensions of job quality or better jobs are discussed: (1) earnings/wages; (2) job security and stability, which is often determined by the types of jobs that women do, the sectors they work in, and whether these jobs are stable, secure and covered by labor laws and/or benefits; and (3) quality of working conditions, which covers the non-economic dimensions of a working environment and includes occupational safety, workplace relations, the risk of sexual harassment at work and overall job satisfaction, however, discussion of this dimension is limited by the scarce amount of data available.

The paper draws on the available literature and evidence from a variety of projects and initiatives in order to highlight for policy makers some possible solutions to address the multiple dimensions of the 'quality gap' on women's jobs. Some suggested actions include: address childcare, parental leave and working conditions; open pathways to good jobs; foster women's career progress; and systematically address legal and regulatory inequalities.

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