The World Bank says around 2.4 billion women of working age are not afforded equal economic opportunities and 178 countries maintain legal barriers that prevent their full economic participation.


The global financial institution said this in its  Women, Business and the
Law, WBL, 2022 report , released on Tuesday.


WBL measures laws and regulations across 190 countries in eight areas
impacting women’s economic participation, including mobility,
workplace, pay, marriage, parenthood, entrepreneurship, assets, and
pensions.


According to World Bank, the gap between expected lifetime earnings
among men and women globally is $172 trillion — nearly two times the
world’s annual GDP.

The report added that the Middle East, North Africa and some sub-
Saharan Africa regions showed the largest improvements in the WBL
Index in 2021, though they continue to lag behind other parts of the
world overall.


The report is coming amid development as the Nigerian legislators voted
in the ongoing constitutional amendment process against crucial bills
aiming to politically empower women in Nigeria.

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