Economic Crises and Women’s Work: Exploring Progressive Strategies in a Rapidly Changing Global Environment

This paper examines issues of women’s employment and decent work in the context of the on-going global financial and economic crisis. Recognizing that financial and economic crises affect men and women workers differently for various reasons, it considers the implications of the crisis for women workers in formal, informal and unpaid activities. Analysis of some specific regional crises shows how crisis response strategies can have different impacts depending on how gender sensitive they are. Additionally, it shows how policy responses that take into account the differentiated impact on women workers are more likely to result in sustained and equitable recovery.