The relationship between gender and public policy is twofold. On the one hand, public policies are needed to promote gender equality in a context in which the under-representation of women in the economic and political spheres has negative consequences for both equality and efficiency. On the other hand, the constant progress towards a gender-balanced socioeconomic role for women and the process towards women’s empowerment have the political capacity to reorient decisions related to public policies. This may in turn reinforce the link between policies and gender equality.

The previous chapters investigated the nature and development of this twofold relationship. Gender gaps in the economic and political dimensions are still widespread around the world: the evidence presented in Chapter 2 shows that they include low female labour force participation, differences in wages between men and women and lower career prospects for women than for men.