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2Understanding and Measuring Women’s Economic EmpowermentAnne Marie Golla/ICRWAcknowledgmentsICRW gratefully acknowledges theDepartment of International Development(DFID), the ExxonMobil Foundation and theBill and Melinda Gates Foundation for theirgenerous support of this work.Cover photos: David Snyder/ICRWDesign: Barbieri and Green© 2011 International Center for Research on Women (ICRW). Portions of this document may be reproducedwithout express permission from but with acknowledgment to ICRW.
Definition, Framework and Indicators 3I. IntroductionThere is increasing recognition that economicallyempowering women is essentialboth to realize women’s rights and toachieve broader development goals such aseconomic growth, poverty reduction, health,education and welfare. In the last five years,a broad range of organizations have committedthemselves to the goal of women’seconomic empowerment. These organizationsrealize that economically empoweringwomen is a win-win that can benefit notonly women, but society more broadly. Itpromotes women’s ability to achieve theirrights and well-being while also reducinghousehold poverty, increasing economicgrowth and productivity, and increasingefficiency.Research has found strong reasons to emphasizewomen’s economic empowerment indevelopment programs:• Economic empowerment is one of themost powerful routes for women toachieve their potential and advance theirrights.• Since women make up the majority of theworld’s poor, meeting poverty-reductiongoals requires addressing women andtheir economic empowerment.• Discrimination against women is economicallyinefficient. National economies lose outwhen a substantial part of the populationcannot compete equitably or realize its fullpotential.• Working with women makes good businesssense. When women have the rightskills and opportunities, they can helpbusinesses and markets grow.• Women who are economically empoweredcontribute more to their families, societiesand national economies. It has beenshown that women invest extra income intheir children, providing a route to sustainabledevelopment.As interest in fostering women’s economicempowerment grows, two questions arise.1. How is women’s economic empowermentdefined? What does the term women’seconomic empowerment encompass?2. How can women’s economic empowermentbe measured and evaluated soorganizations can show they are on theright track to achieving it?Answers to these questions are essential todesign meaningful strategies that will leadto women’s economic empowerment. Thisdocument addresses them by presenting:1. A definition of women’s economic empowerment;2. A measurement framework that canguide the design, implementation andevaluation of programs to economicallyempower women; and3. A set of illustrative indicators that canserve as concrete examples for developingmeaningful metrics for success.The concepts presented here are meant tohelp practitioners, researchers and donorsdesign effective, measurable interventions toadvance women economically. In developingthese concepts, we have drawn both onthe available literature and on ICRW’s directexperience in evaluating women’s economicempowerment programs. This document is intendedas a conceptual guide, rather than anoperational tool kit. Economic empowermentis a complex process, and the general frameworkpresented here will have to be adaptedto meet the needs of specific projects.Brian Heilman/ICRW
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