Promoting Women’s Participation in the Labour Force: The Case for a G20-Wide Social Stock Exchange

Gender equality and women’s empowerment are important targets of the Sustainable Development Goals. Boosting female participation in the workforce is necessary to achieve both these objectives. In 2014, the G20 leaders agreed to cut the gender gap in labour force participation by 25 percent by 2025. Reports show that in almost all G20 countries, female participation in the workforce increased till 2019,1 but the COVID-19 crisis has derailed this progress. This policy brief advocates for women’s economic independence by encouraging their participation in social entrepreneurship. While acknowledging the diverse social and cultural dynamics influencing women’s participation in the labour force, this policy brief primarily focuses on addressing the crucial issue of limited funding for women social entrepreneurs across all G20 nations. In alignment with these objectives, this brief proposes the establishment of a G20-wide ‘Social Stock Exchange’ to provide logistical benefits to international investors and facilitate financial support for women-centric social enterprises. The creation of such a platform can accelerate the integration of women in the workforce and help combat the adverse effects of gender inequality on the global economy.