How the gender quotient can advance equality Policymakers and businesses need to work together to create avenues to include more women in the workforce, including in the government. Only by foregrounding gender can real equality be achieved. Image: Illustration by Anirban Ghosh Women are the anchors of our society. In addition to being caregivers, shouldering more childcare and housework than men, they also contribute to national economies as educators, farmers, entrepreneurs and professionals. Representing half of the world’s population, their empowerment—both socially and economically, is of key global significance. Only 10 countries in the world today offer equal rights to men and women, as per a World Bank research. In some communities such as in Kerala, India, and parts of Africa, they even enjoy more superior inheritance, literacy or matriliny rights. But, despite these being relatively conducive environments, none of these models have proven to be a benchmark of equal opportunity. It is thus no wonder that women across the globe collectively contribute a mere 37% to the global GDP and comprise only 39 per cent of the workforce, as per a Mckinsey Report. It is estimated that narrowing the gender gap could add up to $12 trillion to the global GDP by 2025. While governments, private sector and civil society have progressed in this direction over the years, the challenges in this journey are manifold.