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How Laws Promote Economic Opportunities : A Review

Author

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  • Saavedra Caballero, Fabiola
  • Tribin Uribe, Ana Maria
  • Perrin, Caroline Sabine Marie

Abstract

This paper presents a comprehensive review of the literature on how legal frameworks, regulations, and rights influence women’s economic opportunities. Drawing on the Women, Business and the Law 2024 framework as a reference point, the paper adopts a life cycle approach to examine how legal frameworks and policies shape women’s roles as economic actors across different stages of their working lives. It highlights strong evidence showing that the abolition or reform of gender-discriminatory laws can enhance women's economic empowerment by shifting both legal constraints and embedded social norms, although the magnitude and nature of these effects vary across contexts. Persistent gaps are identified in key areas such as pension systems, childcare legislation, and protection against gender-based violence. The review underscores that legal reform alone is insufficient: advancing women’s economic opportunities requires a combination of well-designed laws, their effective enforcement, and complementary policies that address informal institutional barriers. Nevertheless, legal reforms can serve as a meaningful first step toward ensuring better economic opportunities for women.

Suggested Citation

  • Saavedra Caballero, Fabiola & Tribin Uribe, Ana Maria & Perrin, Caroline Sabine Marie, 2025. "How Laws Promote Economic Opportunities : A Review," Policy Research Working Paper Series 11268, The World Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:11268
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nava Ashraf & Alexia Delfino & Edward L. Glaeser, 2019. "Rule of Law and Female Entrepreneurship," NBER Working Papers 26366, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Ali, Daniel Ayalew & Deininger, Klaus, 2024. "Using registry data to assess gender-differentiated land and credit market effects of urban land policy reform: Evidence from Lesotho," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    3. Anukriti, S & Dinarte, Lelys & Elefante, Marina & Montoya-Aguirre, Maria & Sakhonchik, Alena, 2023. "Filling the Gaps : Childcare Laws for Women's Economic Empowerment," Policy Research Working Paper Series 10492, The World Bank.
    4. Kehinde F. Ajayi & Aziz Dao & Estelle Koussoubé, 2022. "The Effects of Childcare on Women and Children: Evidence from a Randomized Evaluation in Burkina Faso," Working Papers 628, Center for Global Development.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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