Gender Equality and Empowerment: Defining the Path to Sustainable Economic Growth
Achieving gender equality and empowerment is essential for driving sustainable economic growth, as it opens opportunities for women and men to fully participate in and benefit from the economy, promoting inclusive prosperity and reducing poverty.
Women and men, in all their diversity, are essential drivers of economic and social progress. Their contributions as entrepreneurs, farmers, and employees fuel industries, build markets, and create opportunities. Yet, the playing field is far from level. Women, in particular, face greater discrimination and harsher barriers, making it harder for them to participate in and benefit from the economy. That is why it’s important to recognize that engaging, empowering, and supporting both women and men is essential for driving inclusive economic growth and achieving widespread prosperity.
TechnoServe, a nonprofit committed to fighting poverty through sustainable business solutions, recognizes gender equality as essential for achieving lasting economic progress. This blog examines what gender equality means, why it’s vital for economic growth, the obstacles that stand in the way, and how TechnoServe is working to advance equality in the regions it serves.
Understanding Gender Equality and Empowerment
What is Gender Equality and Empowerment?
Gender equality means creating a state where everyone—regardless of gender—has the same rights, opportunities, and agency over their lives. It’s rooted in the principle of fairness and fundamental human rights, ensuring that no one is held back by discrimination or bias. Narrowing gender inequalities can expand individual choices and the ability to fully participate in economic, social, and political life, unlocking women’s potential to contribute meaningfully to society.
Aligned with this, Empowerment means expanding people’s ability to make important life choices, particularly in contexts where they have been denied this power. It involves raising awareness, building self-confidence, expanding choices, and increasing access to and control over resources. It also requires taking action to challenge and transform the structures that reinforce and uphold discrimination and inequality.
What Gender Equality Means for TechnoServe
For TechoServe’s mission, this means advancing women’s economic empowerment to reach their full potential and achieving parity in the share of women and men who financially benefit from our programs. It also involves enabling women to translate their economic participation into positive outcomes for themselves, their families, and their communities.
Why Gender Equality and Empowerment Matters for Economic Development
5 Economic Benefits of Gender Equality and Empowerment
Studies have repeatedly shown that gender equality fuels economic growth and can benefit the economy in many ways, including:
- Increased productivity
- Reduced income inequality
- Improved development outcomes by better spending decisions that benefit children
- Increased representation in economic, social, and political institutions
- Greater financial and environmental resilience
Investing in women creates a ripple effect of economic and social benefits. For instance, if women farmers had equal access to training, information, and resources as their male counterparts, farm production could rise by as much as 30%. On a global scale, the potential is even greater—a recent study found that equal participation by women in the labor market could boost global GDP by 26%, adding $28 trillion to the economy.
But the impact goes beyond numbers. Women’s economic empowerment can bring social benefits to women, men, and their communities. It is linked to greater economic independence, more decision-making power within households, and increased control over marriage decisions. In line with this, children benefit from higher investments in their nutrition, health care, and schooling. Men who are actively engaged as fathers experience better mental and physical health, as well as stronger relationships with their children and spouses.
Gender Equality as a Path to Poverty Reduction
When women are economically empowered, entire communities benefit. TechnoServe’s programs, such as those supporting women coffee farmers, demonstrate how gender equality initiatives drive economic stability and prosperity.
In 2012, Lubaba Mekonen joined a TechnoServe training program while struggling to make ends meet and support her family. Through the program, she learned techniques to improve the yield and quality of her coffee, increasing her income by 200%. With this newfound financial stability, she provided for her two children and supported their education.
“Coffee is the basis of my life,” Lubaba shared. “Coffee raised and taught my children and made me lead a happy life. The main secret for all this is TechnoServe, the first company to have ever trained us for free.” With the income from her coffee, she built a new home, opened a small shop, and purchased land to develop rental properties. She also invested in modern household appliances, such as a television and dining table, creating a more comfortable life for her family.
Thanks to her entrepreneurial mindset and determination, Lubaba has achieved financial independence and created opportunities for her family, defying societal expectations. “Without better coffee yields and a positive mindset, I don’t think I would be where I am now, especially because society does not expect women to prosper on their own,” she explained.
As Lubaba continues to thrive, she plans to renovate her aging coffee plants to sustain her success. Her story highlights the transformative power of connecting women with the opportunities and knowledge they need to realize their plans and aspirations, as well as the critical role programs by organizations like TechnoServe play in enabling such spaces.
Challenges to Achieving Gender Equality Today
8 Barriers for Women in Developing Economies
Women in developing economies face interconnected challenges that hinder their progress and limit their potential. Discriminatory social norms, unequal access to education, and restrictive legal frameworks create systemic barriers that are difficult to overcome. Addressing these issues requires a comprehensive approach that includes policy reform, education, and community-based support.
In low and middle-income countries, these barriers are particularly pronounced. Deeply rooted cultural norms and discriminatory practices perpetuate gender inequality, while limited access to education and healthcare further marginalizes women. Economic dependence, unequal legal rights, and gender-based violence compound these challenges, as does the disproportionate burden of unpaid domestic work. For many women, poverty, ethnicity, and rural isolation amplify these obstacles, making it nearly impossible to participate fully in society or achieve their potential.
Key barriers include:
- Social and cultural norms: Deeply ingrained expectations restrict women’s roles and limit their opportunities.
- Limited access to education: Many women and girls are denied the chance to pursue schooling, curbing their future economic and social prospects.
- Economic disparities: Women often lack access to resources, financial services, and land, perpetuating cycles of poverty.
- Gender-based violence: Widespread violence against women creates physical, emotional, and economic harm.
- Discriminatory laws: Legal frameworks frequently restrict women’s rights to property, inheritance, and other critical resources.
- Lack of political participation: At every level, women are underrepresented in decision-making processes, further entrenching inequality.
- Unequal access to healthcare: Women in many regions lack the medical care necessary for their well-being and that of their families.
- Rural isolation: Geographic barriers exacerbate existing inequalities for women in remote areas, limiting their access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities.
Overcoming these challenges demands intentional efforts at every level, from changing societal attitudes to implementing inclusive policies that prioritize women’s empowerment.
TechnoServe’s Role in Promoting Gender Equality and Empowerment
How TechnoServe Supports Gender Equality and Empowerment
Cooperatives, local government institutions, and private sector actors participating in agricultural value chains have made strides toward including smallholder farmers and businesses, but achieving gender equality remains a significant challenge. TechnoServe’s recent case study on Peru’s coffee sector highlights a transformative approach to integrating women into the value chain. The program focused on increasing incomes, implementing strategies to support women’s leadership and agency, and challenging restrictive cultural norms— and with that, it fostered better conditions for women to take on more active roles as key actors and leaders in the coffee industry.
This comprehensive strategy operates across four interconnected pillars: economic opportunity, leadership and agency, norms and attitudes, and the enabling environment. By addressing these dimensions holistically, TechnoServe has contributed to creating lasting changes in how women participate in and benefit from Peru’s coffee value chain by:
- Expanding economic opportunity: Equipping women with the skills and resources to increase productivity and income as farmers and entrepreneurs.
- Building leadership and agency: Empowering women with the confidence and decision-making capacity to lead at household and community levels.
- Transforming norms and attitudes: Shifting social and cultural perspectives to support women’s economic participation and leadership.
- Creating an enabling environment: Encouraging producer organizations and market institutions to adopt inclusive practices that promote gender equality.
This multifaceted approach ensures that women are empowered as individuals and within their families, communities, and broader market systems.
Driving Change Through Gender Equality and Empowerment
Gender equality is a matter of social justice and a powerful driver of economic progress. TechnoServe’s efforts demonstrate that inclusive growth is a pathway to sustainable prosperity. By addressing the root causes of inequality, respecting the dignity of all individuals, and ensuring our work does no harm, TechnoServe is making meaningful strides for change.
We approach each community with an understanding of its unique context while remaining committed to our objective of equitable economic growth. Empowering women and men to advance economically often requires challenging harmful norms and practices, but the rewards are transformative. Support TechnoServe in advancing gender equality and creating a more just and resilient future.
