Women, Business and the Law 2014 : Removing Restrictions to enhance Gender Equality

The World Bank and IFC report finds that while 42 economies reduced legal differences between women and men, 128 out of 143 economies studied still impose legal differences on the basis of gender in at least one of the report’s key indicators. The report also identifies 48 law and regulatory reforms enacted between March 2011 and April 2013 that could enhance women’s economic opportunities. The third in a series, this edition highlights reforms carried out over the past two years, examines the evolution of women’s property rights and legal decision making ability since 1960 and expands coverage to examine legal protections addressing violence against women.