Creating the conditions for women's economic empowerment: an empirical analysis

Women's economic empowerment refers to both the process and outcome of increasing women’s access to and control over economic resources and opportunities. It is something to be valued, not only for its own sake, but also for its instrumental value in the pursuit of economic growth and development. This study seeks to address an apparent knowledge gap within the international community as to the best means of supporting women's economic empowerment. Drawing on a unique mix of quantitative and qualitative evidence, it evaluates six sectors as options for investment of Canadian aid dollars. The study finds that the sectors representing a country’s quality and availability of: health services; water sources; and sanitation facilities, should be top priorities for financial aid intended to support women’s economic empowerment in developing nations.