Embassy of the United States

OECD Expertise Needed

The economic empowerment of women is an integral element of creating a stronger, cleaner, fairer economy. Gains achieved by providing economic opportunities for women create a positive ripple effect throughout the rest of society. But while the global will to improve women's economic wellbeing is real, actual progress has been slow, stalled or, in some instances, reversed.

OECD research has already served to describe several barriers to women's economic empowerment. For example, in OECD countries:

• Women are more likely to be poor than men, and this economic gap widens even further for older women
• Men earn on average 18% more than women
• And in most OECD countries, fertility rates are well below the rate needed to maintain current population levels

OECD research has also produced interesting comparative statistics, which are the building blocks of analyses and recommendations. For example:

• OECD countries spend on average 2.3% of their GDP on family benefits, with large variations across countries
• Public spending on family benefits is above 3.5 percentage points of GDP in France, Luxembourg and the United Kingdom
• Public spending on family benefits is less than 1 percentage point in Mexico and Korea

The OECD can provide raw data, comparative analyses and policy recommendations from which effective policies are shaped. OECD statistics are rigorous, authoritative and accepted by a wide range of global leaders and opinion-makers. The multi-lateral and cooperative framework of the OECD ensures that members' broad economic policy goals are taken into account.

The OECD has already conducted compelling and relevant research that provides perspectives on pieces of the puzzle. It is crucial that the OECD do more to further women's economic empowerment.

The U.S. Mission to the OECD calls on the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development to build on its existing expertise in economic analysis and policy to (1) identify barriers to greater economic empowerment of women and (2) develop concrete recommendations for policy makers to remove these impediments. 

The OECD could potentially provide value by developing the following economic tools:

• Indicators - raw data and statistics on member countries and developing country non-members that can be compared and contrasted to form the basis of analyses
• "Knowledge-Building Analyses - pinpoints policies that offer the highest leverage for positive outcomes based on empirical evidence
• Best Practices Guide - presents concrete actions countries have adopted for the advancement of women
• Toolkit for Policy Makers - outlines options for action-sets policy makers can adopt to foster greater women's economic empowerment

Possible Indicators could include the following:

• educational achievement
• employment rates
• entrepreneurship
• earnings
• senior-level positions in companies/glass ceiling
• fertility rates
• access to quality childcare
• access to flexible work schedules without sacrificing benefits or job security
• access to credit
• property rights
• retirement security

It is time for the OECD to designate Women's Economic Empowerment as a priority in the member states' shared pursuit of sustained economic growth and prosperity. 2010 marks the 15^th anniversary of the Beijing Conference on Women, which underscored the global and universal importance of removing obstacles to women's advancement. As a premier economic policy institution, the OECD can provide policy makers the solid knowledge base from which to shape sound policies.