for men and women at home and in the economy. We support women and girls in their efforts to achieve their aspirations and economic potential. We shape, inform, and test evidence-based interventions and identify programs and policies that close gendered economic gaps and create more shared and equal roles for all genders.

Women’s and girls’ economic lives are hindered by a complex web of barriers. Deep-rooted gender norms and stereotypes shape ambition and limit access to opportunities, education, skills, and assets. Work opportunities and progress are constrained by burdens of unpaid care and domestic work, which disproportionately falls on women and girls. This limits their time to do paid work and stifles career advancement. Discrimination, harassment, and inadequate representation in leadership roles further perpetuate disparities in paid work. Economic barriers extend into entrepreneurship, as women—particularly those from more marginalized communities—face both normative barriers and systemic challenges in accessing funding, networks, and markets. Efforts to improve economic opportunities for women and girls are hampered by research and data gaps.