There are still almost 40 countries where women can be fired from their jobs simply for getting pregnant, World Bank Chief Economist Carmen Reinhart said in a discussion on how the pandemic is making it even harder for women to escape poverty. The pandemic has contributed to an increase in violence against women and is reinforcing gender inequality in many countries, with women on average having roughly three-quarters of the legal rights of men, according to the World Bank. While laws have improved in some countries, women in many nations still face legal limits on economic opportunities, including restrictions on travel without a male guardian, the lender said. Pazarbasioglu and Reinhart wrote an opinion piece published by Bloomberg on Monday arguing for greater transparency in finance to help address growing inequality within countries and across borders. This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.

Source: Mint March 08, 2021 03:33 UTC