Gender Equality and Inclusion

CGD’s gender equality and inclusion program focuses on economic empowerment and the policies and investments necessary to achieve it. Amid prevailing global development challenges – such as climate change, debt unsustainability, and violent conflict – we work to emphasize gender equality and inclusion as an essential part of the solution, instead of being siloed as a secondary consideration. Women and girls make up roughly half of the world’s population. Integrating their wellbeing and the wellbeing of other historically marginalized populations into policy and investment decisions can multiply the impact of efforts to boost economic growth, reduce poverty, and enhance global prosperity.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we identified “cash, care, and data” as three priority areas to promote an inclusive recovery and stimulate longer-run progress towards women’s economic empowerment and global gender equality. Taking an intersectional lens, our ongoing work builds on this foundation to advance economic inclusion and inform gender-inclusive macro-level economic policy change.