2017年-世界发展银行全球_Armenia_Country_Gender_Assessment_2016___The_State_of_Gender_Equality_in_Armenia_4页_296kb

Armenia Country Gender Assessment Summary (2016)

Core Content

The Armenia Country Gender Assessment, 2016 highlights the persistent gender disparities in the country despite economic progress. While Armenia has achieved relatively good gender equality in education and health outcomes, compared to Europe and Central Asia and better than lower-middle-income countries, significant gaps remain in economic participation and leadership roles.

Main Findings

• Economic Participation: Women's lower participation in the labor market and entrepreneurship leads to a loss in economic output equivalent to 14% of Armenia's GDP in 2014.
• Labor Market Gaps:
  • The labor participation gap between men and women is 17 percentage points.
  • Women earn 36% less on average than men.
  • Women are overrepresented in public sector jobs and underrepresented in technical and entrepreneurial sectors.
• Education and Career Choices:
  • Women outnumber men in tertiary education (1.5 women per man).
  • However, they are underrepresented in STEM fields and concentrated in social sciences, education, and healthcare.
• Demographic Imbalances:
  • There is a son preference in birth rates, with 113 boys born for every 100 girls, far exceeding the global benchmark of 106.
  • This trend is expected to slow population growth by 3% over the next 50 years and may lead to male emigration and marriage squeeze.
• Social Norms:
  • Patriarchal norms and gender roles continue to limit women's economic and leadership opportunities.
  • These norms contribute to occupational segregation, unpaid care burdens, and gender-based discrimination in hiring and employment.

Key Policy Recommendations

To address these challenges, the following policy options are proposed:

• Promote Gender Equality in Leadership:
  • Invest in campaigns that promote the value of girls and women in leadership roles.
  • Support women's entrepreneurship and managerial participation.
• Improve Parental Leave Policies:
  • Adopt a family leave concept that includes paternal leave.
  • Incentivize fathers to share childcare responsibilities.
• Enhance Care Support Systems:
  • Strengthen early childhood education and care programs.
  • Establish elder care systems to reduce the burden on women.
• Address Skills Mismatches:
  • Implement school-to-work transition programs for young women.
  • Encourage specialization in technical and growing sectors.
• Promote Social Change:
  • Use mass media campaigns to challenge patriarchal norms and promote equal gender roles.
  • Focus on changing perceptions of the value of daughters and women in leadership.

Conclusion

Supporting gender equality in Armenia is not only a matter of fairness but also a development strategy that can yield economic benefits. By addressing social norms, care responsibilities, and occupational segregation, Armenia can harness its human capital potential more effectively and foster sustainable growth. The World Bank team recommends a multi-faceted approach that includes policy reforms, public awareness campaigns, and support for women in education and employment.

Summary of Economic Impact

• If working-age women participated in the labor market at the same rate as men, GDP per capita would increase by 14.3%.
• 40% of this gain comes from occupational choice distortions.
• The remaining 60% is due to labor force participation gaps.

Supporting Data

• Unemployment Rates:
  • Women: 19.5%
  • Men: 17.6%
  • Women's unemployment lasts longer.
• Women in Leadership:
  • Only 11% of the National Assembly are women, below the 15% quota.
  • Only 19.1% of firms with five or more employees are managed by women.
• Social Norms:
  • Son preference is widespread, leading to sex-selective abortions.
  • Unpaid care work is heavily concentrated on women, affecting their economic participation.

This assessment underscores the need for policy action that goes beyond legal frameworks and addresses deep-rooted social norms to achieve real and lasting gender equality in Armenia.