Priority Themes in the World Bank’s Gender Work Andrew Morrison Lead Economist Gender and Development Group World Bank

2 Key Themes for the World Bank Gender and Development Group Labor Markets Migration Demographics An X-ray of conditions and issues in the CIS Brief outline of Gender Group’s work program

3 Labor Force Participation Rates by Sex in CIS: 1995 and 2000 Labor Markets Source: ILO. Key Indicators of the Labour Market. Fourth Edition.

4 Percent Changes in Men & Women's Labor Force Participation Rates ( ) Labor Markets Source: ILO. Key Indicators of the Labour Market. Fourth Edition.

5 Unemployment Rates in 1995 and 2000 in Select CIS Countries (as % of male & female work force) Labor Markets Source: World Bank. World Development Indicators DDP Database. November Women 1995 Men 2000 Women 2000 Men

6 Gender Wage Ratio (Monthly female wages/ monthly male wages) Labor Markets Source: World Bank. Paci, P. and Reilly, B Does Economic Liberalization Reduce Gender Inequality in the Labour Market: the Experience Of The Transition Economies Of Europe And Central Asia (draft). Washington D.C.: World Bank. NB: Years for latest year vary by country.

7 Early Retirement Labor Markets Source: World Bank Doing Business in 2006: Creating Jobs (forthcoming) Equality in Retirement Ages – lowest in Eastern Europe Countries with Equal Retirement Ages for Men and Women (%)

8 Early Retirement Labor force participation rates:  Generally falling across the region. Is this a discouraged worker effect, and—if so—what needs to be done?  Male labor force participation rates generally fell more than female rates, except for Georgia, Ukraine and the Kyrgyz Republic. What particular forces are causing men to drop out of the labor force in larger numbers than women? On the other hand, what explains the collapse of female labor force participation in Georgia? Unemployment:  What is the potential role for active labor market policies in reducing unemployment?  Should active labor market policies be gender-specific? Wage gaps and discrimination:  What lies behind rapidly rising male/female wage gaps in some countries?  What enforcement mechanisms are needed to ensure the wage gap is closed?  How can we increase the value of women employees to their firms? Retirement age:  Should retirement ages be equalized? Labor Markets Policy issues in labor markets

9 Changing Profile of Supply & Demand for Women Migrants in Europe and CIS SUPPLY 1990s: involuntary migration & displacement Current: economic and administrative changes in home country Diversification and polarization Increased illegal migration: restrictions on legal migration favoring high-skilled workers Transit migration from South and South East Asia, China and Afghanistan through CIS DEMAND Previously: low-skilled labor: domestic/ care workers, manufacturing & agriculture Now: High-skilled labor to support aging population in receiving countries Large illegal sex trade/ trafficking Migration

10 Main Origin and Destination of Trafficked Women Migration Republic of Korea, India, China and Arab States Western CIS Central Asia

11 Remittances Received in CIS Countries in 2002 Migration Source: IMF Statistics Yearbook (2002)

12 Remittances Received by Regions in 1999 as Percent of GDP Migration Source: IMF Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook. World Development Indicators.

13 Policy Implications for Migration 1. Improve the conditions of formal legal migration 2. Reduce the transaction costs of remittances 3. Eliminate trafficking via focused enforcement, education and creation of economic opportunities Migration

14 Growing Life Expectancy Gap in Most CIS Countries Demographics

15 HIV/AIDS Cases in CIS and Other Regions Demographics Source: UNAIDS

16 Policy Implications for Demographic Issues Male life expectancy:  Provide health education to create responsibility for personal health  Redirect the stress men experience away from risky behaviors (e.g., alcohol, smoking and drugs) to productive activities and other means of release  Implement anti-alcohol and smoking campaigns  Address the underlying labor market conditions that increase their stress levels and the likelihood of resorting to risky behaviors HIV/AIDS:  Intensify public education for youth, key risk groups (e.g. injecting drug users, sex workers) on risks of unprotected sex, substitution therapy, safe needle use  Develop regional strategies to work together on reducing the price of antiretroviral drugs  Increase the numbers of medical professionals trained in HIV/ AIDS treatment and care  Recognize and address links to gender-based violence  Integrate tuberculosis treatment to HIV/AIDS treatment programs Demographics

17 World Bank Gender and Development Group Work Program Migration  sex-differentiated gross flows  impact on sending nations  women as economic migrants  migration policy Labor Markets  occupational segregation and poverty  labor market discrimination  gender equity and productivity  evaluation of active labor market policies

18 World Bank Gender and Development Group Work Program Demography  analytical work on demographic processes—fertility, sex ratios, family structure, etc.—and their link to poverty