2012 World Development Report Reveals Improvements And Challenges For Women

The World Bank recently released its 2012 World Development Report. Over the past 25 years, women have made significant gains in school enrollment, life expectancy, and workforce participation. However, gender disparities still endure. According to the report, more boys than girls are enrolled in school in Sub-Saharan Africa and parts of South Asia.  Women are more likely than men to be employed in the informal sector, and as a result are making less money. Poor women also have less control over household decision-making than men. Sudhir Shetty, the co-director of the report, elaborates further on the reasons for optimism and the challenges still ahead.